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

One thousand foreign-born military recruits are facing deportation under a proposed Pentagon plan to cancel enlistment contracts for those without legal immigration status, reports The Washington Post.

A Defense Department memo obtained by The Washington Post highlights potential security threats in the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (MAVNI) program, which was implemented to accelerate citizenship in exchange for crucial medical and language skills.

In addition to the cancellation of contracts for some foreign-born recruits, 4,100 troops could undergo enhanced screening. Most of the 4,100 are naturalized citizens, and the Pentagon raised concerns on how to proceed with “significant legal constraints” of “continuous monitoring” of citizens without cause, per the report.

The MAVNI program was launched by the Defense Department in 2009. In the program’s eight-year history, 10,400 troops have come through the program to fill vital medical and language billets.

http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/1-000-foreign-born-military-recruits-facing-deportation-under-proposed-pentagon-plan