Wall Street Journal
By Laura Meckler
April 3, 2014
WASHINGTON—House
Republicans are considering a plan that would allow young people who
had been brought to the U.S. illegally as children to join the military
and then
become legal, permanent residents.
Rep.
Howard "Buck" McKeon (R., Calif.), chairman of the House Armed Services
Committee, told members of his panel Thursday that he is considering
adding the provision
to his opening version of the National Defense Authorization Act, the
annual military policy bill that clears Congress each year.
A
committee aide said Mr. McKeon has emphasized that he hasn't made any
decisions or promises and has said supporters will have to make their
case. The chairman has heard
strong arguments from people on both sides of the issue, the aide
added.
Immigration
opponents already are organizing to try to stop the maneuver in its
tracks. Rep. Mo Brooks (R., Ala.) said in an interview that he is
finishing a letter to
circulate to House members in coming days saying that illegal
immigrants should not be given the chance to take American military
jobs.
Mr. Brooks, a member of the Armed Services panel, also questioned the loyalty of people who weren't born in the U.S.
"There
is always a risk when you rely on foreigners for your national
security…the risk is misplaced loyalty," he said. "It really comes down
to who you prefer—American
citizens or illegal aliens? And I prefer American citizens."
The
conversation comes as the House continues to stall action on the
broader immigration issue, including the status of more than 11 million
people in the U.S. illegally.
House leaders have said many of them should be given some sort of legal
status and that young people brought to the U.S. as children should get a path to citizenship.
Nine
months after the Senate passed a sweeping immigration overhaul, the
House has yet to bring any legislation to the floor, leaving a handful
of Republicans in heavily
Latino districts in a difficult political position heading into the
November election. That group includes Rep. Jeff Denham (R., Calif.),
who is pushing to add the provision on military service to the
underlying defense bill.
Last
June, Mr. Denham tried to add the measure to last year's military
authorization bill when it was on the House floor, but he agreed to
withdraw it after an argument
with opponents on the floor.
"This
is one opportunity for those that have gone to school here, that have
graduated from high school, that are in our communities, to show their
ultimate support for
this great nation and are willing to sacrifice in support of our
country," Mr. Denham said then.
At
the time, Mr. Denham was assured by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R., Va.),
chairman of the Judiciary Committee, that his proposal would be
considered as part of the broader
immigration debate.
"There
is no doubt that individuals brought to the United States as young
children by their illegal immigrant parents are the most sympathetic
group of people not lawfully
present in the United States today, and that is particularly true of
those who desire to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States," Mr.
Goodlatte said on the floor.
But
Mr. Goodlatte hasn't brought any legislation addressing this issue
before his committee. Now, Mr. Denham is trying again with the military
authorization bill, working
to persuade Mr. McKeon to add the provision to this year's bill from
the start, so that no floor votes are needed to add it, congressional
aides said. Mr. McKeon is expected to introduce his version of the
defense authorization bill in early May.
Both
Messrs. Denham and Goodlatte declined to comment on Thursday. A
spokeswoman for Mr. Goodlatte said Thursday that he still thinks this is
"an important issue that
needs to be addressed" but would prefer that it be dealt with in the
Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over immigration.
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