Defense

‘Army Discharging Immigrants’ Story May Not Be The Outrage It’s Cracked Up To Be

(DoD photo by Sgt. 1st Class Scott Turner, U.S. Army/Released)

Virginia Kruta Associate Editor
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On Thursday, The Associated Press published a story with a headline that read, “US Army quietly discharging immigrant recruits.” That headline was quickly met with outrage — but the story itself isn’t anything new.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush called the move “disappointing.”

Film producer Adam Best claimed that the recruits were being discharged because they were immigrants.

But as retired Army Col. Kurt Schlicter predicted, there was more to the story.

NPR’s Tim Mak offered a little more context, pointing out the fact that the real question — whether or not recruits are being discharged because they are immigrants — is never answered in the article.

Air Force veteran John Noonan also posted a lengthy thread breaking down the information the AP story did not include, noting many of the same issues brought up by both Mak and Schlicter.

Many of the recruits in question enlisted through the MAVNI Program (Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest), which began in 2009. Recruits were required to show proof of legal residence, such as a green card, and were placed on an expedited path to citizenship through their service. In 2016, however, the program was opened up further to include DACA recipients — a move which may have contributed to the confusion.