Immigrants in the Military Ignored by Bush
Anyone who reads this blog can tell I’m against amnesty for illegal immigrants. But immigrants who have served in the armed forces, whether they went to Iraq or not, should be given automatic citizenship. If they can risk their lives to defend this country, they can be citizens. It’s as simple as that. Bush promised but lacks the ethics to follow through on his promises.
After the War, a New Battle to Become Citizens
By FERNANDA SANTOSDespite a 2002 promise from President Bush to put citizenship applications for immigrant members of the military on a fast track, some are finding themselves waiting months, or even years, because of bureaucratic backlogs.
About 7,200 service members or people who have been recently discharged have citizenship applications pending, but neither the Department of Defense nor Citizenship and Immigration Services keeps track of how long they have been waiting. Immigration lawyers and politicians say they have received a significant number of complaints about delays because of background checks, misplaced paperwork, confusion about deployments and other problems.
Officials have estimated that it will take an average of 18 months to process citizenship applications from legal immigrants through 2010, up from seven months last year. But service members and veterans are supposed to go to the head of the line. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, President Bush signed an executive order allowing noncitizens on active duty to file for citizenship right away, instead of having to first complete three years in the military.
Of course bush supporters will say it’s not his fault. He promised it and all, but of course he can’t be held accountable for his shoddy treatment of veterans. Maybe never having been one he just doesn’t get it.
