What do you think about the recent decision to allow illegal immigrants to enlist into the military?

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/26/us/military-path-opened-for-young-immigrants.html?_r=0

It was announced Thursday that illegal immigrants can apply to enlist if they are eligible for DACA and can meet the requirements of the MAVNI program.

MAVNI, or Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest, allows immigrants with needed medical or language skills to enlist into the military without citizenship or a Green Card. DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, allows many illegal immigrants who came before their 16th birthday to stay in the US.

According to the current standards of the program most Latino illegal immigrants won't qualify because Spanish isn't on the list of languages the MAVNI is looking for but that doesn't mean it won't change in the future.

2014-09-28T13:36:40Z

Just so it is clear, this new policy will have almost no effect on illegal immigrants from Mexico because the program is looking for people who speak certain languages from Asia, the Middle East, and some African countries or who have medical training. According to estimates, out of the millions of illegal immigrants currently in the country only a few dozen currently present would qualify and out of that few dozen there's no telling how many actually want to enlist in the first place.

TomB2014-09-28T05:52:14Z

Well since our latest crop of Donut Eaters and Video Game Jockeys don't have the necessary skills to fill some critical billets....it is a good idea. AND since it is only 1500 of them annually, it will still leave plenty of slots open for those that can only score high enough on the ASVAB to get jobs as moving targets or buffer techs.

BUT the underlying truth is that it's a crying shame that we have to go to this extent to find kids smart enough to fill some critical billets.... and you can't blame the school systems since those kids accepted by the program have lived here all of their lives and went to the same Schools as our own little "legal" Einsteins.

Anonymous2014-09-27T18:54:11Z

Not all illegal immigrants, but people who have lived here their entire lives, who qualify for DACA, and who have specific specialties that our military needs and cannot find among American fighters. I think it's obviously a good idea, and so did republicans earlier this year. Those same republicans now suddenly oppose their own stated goals, conveniently right after Obama implements their goals. Not surprising, since this has been a recurrent theme among republicans for the past 6 years.

?2014-09-27T19:21:18Z

The number is limited to no more than 1200 per year of those having special skills or medical qualifications.

The military can just stop taking anyone who does not have a valid high school diploma and there will be no impact on Resident Aliens or citizens enlisting.

Brother Hesekiel2014-09-27T19:08:09Z

"The Pentagon program was created for temporary immigrants who speak one of about three dozen languages including Arabic, Hindi, Korean, Pashto, Nepalese, Russian, Uzbek and Swahili — but NOT Spanish, the language of the majority of the undocumented young people. It also accepts licensed doctors and dentists in certain specialties. Immigrants must pass rigorous security checks to be accepted."

Only a few dozen DREAMers will be able to qualify, and most likely not a single Mexican will be among them.

Smartest Guy in the Room2014-09-29T10:05:17Z

I don't have a problem with that...obviously this isn't a pathway for all the illegals from our southern border, as there isn't a snowballs chance in hell spanish will ever become a needed foreign language...there are plenty of U.S. citizens who speak spanish.

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