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| Wilson Wants To Grant Citizenship To American Soldiers |
June 04, 2003 |
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‘America Defended by Volunteer Patriots’
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson thinks non-citizen members of the United States military should be able to become citizens of the country they are willing to defend. Today, she supported provisions that make it easier for those members to become United States Citizens. She also supported expanded immigration benefits for immediate family of citizens who die as a result of serving in active duty during wartime.
“America is defended by patriots,” says Congresswoman Heather Wilson. “And every single one of them is a volunteer. Just last week, we observed Memorial Day across America as 139 families feel the loss of a loved one recently killed in military service. At least 10 of those service-members gave their lives for a country they were not born in, but a country they adopted with open arms and defended to the death.
“They deserve our gratitude, and this provision will help recognize, through our naturalization laws, their service and allegiance to their country,” Wilson said after today’s vote in Congress. “It is only right to bestow upon the men and women who protect our country the honor of being an American citizen.”
The legislation approved by the House today grants non-citizen soldiers the ability to apply for naturalization quicker than under current law. The bill also has safeguards triggered by discharge from the military under conditions other than honorable during the first five years of military service.
As of February 2003, more than 37,000 non-citizens serve among the 1.4 million men and women in active duty status in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, and these foreign nationals comprise 2.6% of those in active duty. Foreign nationals from the Philippines comprise the largest single country of citizenship for aliens in the armed forces, with Mexico representing the second largest source country.
H.R. 1954
“Armed Forces Naturalization Act”
Naturalization Through Service in Armed Forces:
·reduces the peace time military service requirement from three years to one year before a lawful permanent resident military member may apply for naturalization;
·prohibits fees from being charged to military members applying for naturalization or a certificate of naturalization,
·permits the discretionary revocation of citizenship for separation from military service under other than honorable conditions within the first five years of military service during both peace time and war time;
·requires the Departments of Homeland Security, State and Defense to provide naturalization applications, interviews, filings, oaths, and ceremonies, to the greatest extent practicable, through United States embassies, consulates, and U.S. military installations overseas.
Posthumous Citizenship Through Death While on Active-Duty Service in Armed Forces:
·prohibits the charging of a fee from a person seeking posthumous citizenship for a military member killed performing military service;
·permits immediate relatives (spouses, children, and certain parents) to apply for immigration benefits as if the military member granted posthumous citizenship had not died;
·waives the public charge ground of inadmissibility for immediate relative family members eligible to apply for immigration benefits under this bill; and
·permits lawful permanent resident spouses of posthumous citizens to immediately apply for naturalization rather than wait three years as if the military member had not died.
Immigration Benefits for Surviving Alien Spouses, Children, and Parents of Citizens who Die While During Service in Armed Forces:
·permits spouses, children, and certain parents of U.S. citizens who die during honorable military service to apply for immigration benefits as if the citizen had not died; and
·waives the public charge ground of inadmissibility for family members applying for immigration benefits under this section.
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