HOUSE NDAA REAUTHORIZATION ENCOURAGES DOD TO HIRE ILLEGALS IN U.S. MILITARY: The House Armed Services Committee on Thursday passed the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including an amendment offered by Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) that explicitly encourages the Secretary of Defense to hire illegal aliens granted amnesty by President Obama’s unilateral executive orders.
On Congressman Gallego’s website, he explains the purpose of his amendment as follows:
Our military needs the best soldiers, marines and airmen it can get.
We shouldn’t let our broken immigration system stand in the way of our military’s recruitment goals.
By statute, the Secretary can authorize the enlistment of non-citizens when it is “vital to the national interest.” And enabling the best and brightest in our nation to serve in uniform, including DREAMers, is clearly “vital to the national interest.”
Gallego’s amendment squeaked by on a 33-30 vote, with the support of 3 Republicans. (The Committee has 36 Republicans and 27 Democrats). The 3 Republican “yes” votes came from: Frank LoBiodo (R-NJ); Mike Coffman (R-CO); and Chris Gibson (R-NY).
But Gallego’s Armed Services Committee colleague Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), issued a press release Thursday slamming the amendment:
“It makes no sense to me that, at the same time the Army is downsizing and issuing pink slips to American soldiers serving in Afghanistan, there are Congressmen who help illegal aliens deprive American citizens of military service opportunities.
“It’s appalling that some members of the Republican conference, and frankly all members of the Democratic conference, place illegal immigrants on pedestals over American citizens, contrary to the needs andwishes of the American people.
“Illegal aliens are already taking jobs from and suppressing the wages of struggling American families in the private job market. Now Democrats and wayward Republicans are similarly and actively undermining Americans’ opportunities to serve in the military.
“It is no wonder that, in the face of such economic hostility emanating from Washington, America’s youth are too often despondent and all-to-willing to express their dissatisfaction via arson, assaults, riots, and other forms of criminal conduct.”
Rep Brooks is right, and the his fellow Republicans– Reps. Coffman, LoBiondo and Gibson–ought to be ashamed. The Democrats have been trying to get this language approved for years. It is more than ironic that this language gets approved in a Republican-controlled committee, now that the Republicans have retaken control of Congress, in no small part because of Americans’ opposition to the President’s unconstitutional executive orders on immigration.
If you live in Rep. Coffman, LoBiondo or Gibson’s districts and oppose the Gallego amendment, give them a call:
Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO): 202.225.7882
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ): (202) 225-6572
Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY): (202) 225-5614
For national security reasons, the U.S. military should be restricted to U.S. citizens, and the invocation of this “vital national interest” must be rarely, if ever, invoked. And I hardly think that, in an era of Obama-ordered military troop reductions and even pay cuts, there is any “vital national interest” that would require hiring illegal immigrants, no matter how sincere their desire to serve our country. They can serve our country in other, honorable ways, such as working hard, paying taxes, going to school and being good, law-abiding neighbors.