Migrants who serve in US military can expedite path to citizenship, new bill proposes
A new bill introduced by Reps. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y. and John James, R-Mich., would offer qualified and vetted migrants an expedited path to citizenship if they serve in the military.
The bill, called the Courage to Serve Act, would create a pilot program that would apply to people with no lawful permanent status, like asylum seekers and migrants waiting for work authorization. Qualified migrants could apply for lawful permanent residency within 180 days of enlisting in the military, the text said.
"There is no higher honor than serving your country in uniform," Ryan said.
Single migrant men, mostly from West Africa, congregate in Tompkins Square Park as volunteers give away food and clothing, January 27, 2024, in the East Village neighborhood of New York City, New York. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty I
According to Ryan, the military services collectively missed recruiting goals by roughly 41,000 last year, leaving some crucial positions unfilled.
"If there are folks with a courage to raise their right hand, take an oath to protect and defend our Constitution and put their lives on the line for this country, then they sure as hell deserve the opportunity to be citizens in the United States of America," Ryan said.
This bill comes days after a bipartisan border security package negotiated by the Senate fell apart amid Republican opposition.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., argued that the Senate bill did not go far enough when it comes to securing the border and said there is more President Joe Biden can do in the interim.
"He can end catch and release, he can adjust the asylum, he can end the parole program that he started, and he can actually shut down the border," Malliotakis said. "He can shut it down."
Meanwhile, more than 173,000 migrants have entered New York City in the past two years, with the city still currently caring for close to 70,000 migrants.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday continued her call for a border deal, saying New York can’t continue to handle this influx of migrants.
"If the 10 Republican members of Congress who represent the state of New York would simply exercise their clout, walk down to Speaker Johnson's office and say our state needs help right now," Governor Hochul said. "We can no longer financially afford to handle this number of people."
Ryan along with Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., wrote a bipartisan letter to Biden last year asking that he approve New York’s request for a major disaster declaration so more federal resources could be funneled to the state – something that Biden still has not done.