The Army is booting reservists and recruits who happen to be immigrants seeking a pathway to citizenship, according to a report on Thursday night.
At least 40 such men and women were abruptly shown the door by Uncle Sam, wreaking havoc on their dreams of becoming Americans, immigration attorneys told The Associated Press.
“It was my dream to serve in the military,” said reservist Lucas Calixto, an immigrant from Brazil who is suing the Army.
“Since this country has been so good to me, I thought it was the least I could do to give back to my adopted country and serve in the United States military.”
Pentagon and Army officials declined comment, citing the pending litigation.
“Immigrants have been serving in the Army since 1775,” said retired Army Reserve Lt. Col. Margaret Stock, an immigration rights lawyer from Alaska.
“We wouldn’t have won the revolution without immigrants. And we’re not going to win the global war on terrorism today without immigrants.”
Stock helped develop a recruitment program to draw immigrants to the Army Reserve – and now she’s being flooded with reports of such recruits being kicked out with no explanation.
President George W. Bush ordered “expedited naturalization” for immigrant soldiers in 2002 and seven years later the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) became a formal program.
Congressman Andy Harris (R-Maryland) has long opposed MAVNI and said: “Our military must prioritize enlisting American citizens, and restore the MAVNI program to its specialized, limited scope.”