In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. House, some Republicans are pushing for a different path to citizenship – via boot camp.
Undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. before 2012 and who were 14 years old or younger would become legal permanent residents upon service in the U.S. military under legislation offered by Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA). That provides an expedited path to citizenship compared with the naturalization process. Separation from the military under less-than-honorable conditions would rescind the new residency status.
The fact that a Republican is advocating this approach, and can count several GOP colleagues among the bill’s 43 cosponsors, illustrates the demographic challenges facing the party. Lawmakers with significant Latino populations in states such as California and Florida are seeking incremental changes to the nation’s immigration policies, particularly after House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) balked at taking up an immigration bill passed by the Senate last year.
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“It’s not surprising that Republicans would dip their toes in the water with these types of bills,” said Mary Giavagnoli, director of the Immigration Policy Center at the American Immigration Council. “There’s overall consensus that people are who are willing to serve their country should be able to have the benefits of citizenship.”
Denham’s measure, also known as the ENLIST Act, is similar to the DREAM Act, which would allow children of undocumented immigrants to attend college in the U.S. along their path to citizenship.
Denham’s measure, which was introduced last year, is back on lawmakers’ radars again as they begin consideration of an annual defense-policy bill, one that Congress has passed for the last 52 years. He offered a similar provision last year as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2014. Denham later withdrew the amendment, meaning lawmakers didn’t vote on the matter.
Denham’s bill suffered a brief setback last week, when House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) said he wouldn’t include Denham’s provision in the legislation to be considered by the defense panel next month.
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“Over the past several days I have heard from Members on and off the committee on both sides of this issue,” McKeon, who’s a cosponsor of Denham’s bill, said in a statement. “They have made sound arguments and raised valid concerns. This is an important issue that I know will continue to be debated going forward.”