First appearance on Fox: Republicans and Democrats are working together to push for a faster path to citizenship for immigrants who serve in the U.S. military.
This comes after talks on border overhaul and the US immigration system collapsed this week after months of negotiations.
Reps. John James (R-Mich.) and Rep. Pat Ryan (N.Y.) are pushing eligible, vetted immigrants into the fast-track lanes, where they can eventually become U.S. citizens if they serve in the United States. We have introduced the “Courage Act”. army.
The bill would create a pilot program for people who are not legal permanent residents, such as asylum seekers and immigrants waiting for work permits, according to the text of the bill obtained by Fox News Digital. These require review by both the FBI and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
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Republican Rep. John James (left) and Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan (right) are working together to give immigrants who serve in the U.S. military a faster path to citizenship. (Getty Images)
The document says eligible immigrants can apply for legal permanent residence within 180 days of enlistment.
Their applications would be fast-tracked after three years of “honorable service in the military,” one year in an active duty zone, or 30 days in a designated combat zone.
This application does not guarantee citizenship, and applicants must be admitted under current U.S. immigration law.
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Legal permanent residence is often the most time-consuming part of the citizenship process. Lawmakers reason that the process will be faster for those who serve.
James and Ryan, both military veterans, cited immigration reform and the need to resolve the military draft crisis in their statements about the bill.
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (New York) voted this week on a border security review that failed. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
“If people have the courage to raise their right hand and take an oath to protect and defend this country with their lives, then they absolutely deserve the opportunity to become American citizens,” Ryan told Fox News Digital.
He also harshly criticized the failure of negotiations on immigration and border compromises.
“Earlier this week, partisanship blocked the passage of important immigration reform,” Ryan said. “But I’m not going to give up the fight. I’m committed to providing concrete solutions to secure our borders, address our severe military recruitment shortage, and help immigrants already in this country build better lives for their families.” We will continue to push for practical, actionable steps every day.”
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“Some of the heroes that Pat and I served with in Iraq were immigrants, and I can’t think of a better person to become an American citizen than an immigrant who willingly serves in the military,” James told Fox News Digital. Ta.
He cited statistics showing the Army was 25% short of its 2022 recruiting goal.
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“Immigration is an economic and moral imperative, and it makes sense to give certain American-loving immigrants who want to serve their country the opportunity to become citizens,” James said.
Efforts to pass $118 billion in additional security aid and new border policies failed in the Senate Wednesday in the face of growing Republican opposition in both chambers.
