Denver Post (Editorial-Colorado)
May 13, 2015
It
is truly unfortunate a group of congressional Republicans is using
anti-immigration arguments to threaten the passage of the annual defense
authorization bill.
The
disagreement is over an amendment that passed the House Armed Services
Committee to encourage the Pentagon to consider allowing some immigrants
brought illegally to the U.S. as children
a chance to enlist.
Specifically,
the provision asks the secretary of Defense to determine whether
immigrants who have received employment approval under the
administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, can enlist.
This
is sensible legislation. Those who have grown up in the U.S., who have
gone to school here and have been cleared to work here should be able to
fight for the country that is clearly
their home.
The
legislation follows a similar bill introduced last year by Rep. Mike
Coffman, R-Colo., that would have allowed undocumented young people to
enlist and earn a path to citizenship.
That
bill failed, but Coffman is an enthusiastic supporter of the current
amendment that passed 33-30 with support of 27 Democrats and six
Republicans.
But
about two dozen Republicans, including Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado
Springs, disagree. They say the House has voted three times to defund
DACA and this amendment contradicts that
position.
Last
week they sent a letter to House Rules Chairman Pete Sessions, R-Texas,
saying they will seek to remove the provision that they say could
prevent the defense bill from passing the
House.
In
other words, the same old, tired partisan flap over immigration could
now upend Congress' authorization of funds for essential U.S. military
programs.
As
a side note, 43 DACA recipients already have enlisted through the
Military Ascensions Vital to the National Interest program. The
secretary of Defense can enlist anyone seen to be fit
as long as it is considered "vital to the national interest."
This is vital. Partisan brinkmanship is not.
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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