Pentagon Considers Canceling Program That Recruits Immigrant Soldiers

[DonViejo]

Source: NPR




July 3, 20178:02 AM ET

RICHARD GONZALES, TOM BOWMAN

The Pentagon is considering pulling out of a deal it made with thousands of noncitizen recruits with specialized skills: Join the military and we'll put you on the fast track to citizenship.

The proposal to dismantle the program would cancel enlistment contracts for many of the foreign-born recruits, leaving about 1,000 of them without legal protection from deportation.

The plan under consideration is laid out in a memo from Pentagon officials to Defense Secretary James Mattis. In the memo, obtained by NPR, high-level personnel and intelligence officials cite security concerns and inadequate vetting of recruits under a program called Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest, or MAVNI.

The memo also cites "the potential threat posed by individuals who may have a higher risk of connections to Foreign Intelligence Services," and refers to an "elevated" risk of an insider threat.


Read more: http://www.npr.org/2017/07/03/535342867/pentagon-considers-canceling-program-that-recruits-immigrant-soldiers

[atreides1]

1. It's called a purge!

And it's probably just the beginning...Hitler did it, Stalin did it, all dictators do it! Why should we expect anything less from the buffoon in the White House now???

And once again this shows Mattis' true colors!!!

[hlthe2b]

2. Every day another dozen serious assaults on our values, our democracy...

Some days, I just don't think I can take any more.

[Docreed2003]

3. Wow...this administration truly has no shame

[hatrack]

4. Next month's headline: "Military Misses Recruiting Goals"

[keithbvadu2]

5. If the 'patriots' like the Trump and Romney boys would serve...

[HAB911]

6. 1,000 foreign-born military recruits facing deportation under proposed Pentagon plan

https://www.democraticunderground.com/11797239

[DK504]

7. Gearing up to reinstate the draft?

Good luck with that. Hope Canada and Mexico will take Americans in for asylum.

[maxrandb]

8. Are they talking about folks serving Honorably in the Military

Or folks in the Trump Administration?

"the potential threat posed by individuals who may have a higher risk of connections to Foreign Intelligence Services," and refers to an "elevated" risk of an insider threat.

[riversedge]

9. Lordy lord. Just vet them good. Stupid people including Mattis!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

10. Sad

[xor]

11. This seems like a stupid move.

I'm assuming this program brings in people who add value to our military. If there is an issue with inadequate vetting then why not just fix that specific issue? Throwing the baby out with the bath water seems illogical. And if this actually cancels contracts with people who have been serving, then that's even more disgusting. At the very least they should not have the rug pulled out from underneath them because some short-sighted political nonsense.