Solve two problems with one move?

[cute fuzzy bunny]

So...we've got all these illegal aliens who say they want citizenship and a chance to earn a fair wage...

...And we've got a real problem with a shortage of soldiers over in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Anyone else see that opportunity?

Free citizenship, a nice signup bonus to send back to the family, good pay and benefits, and when your term of service expires, your family can come and join you.

Probably a good idea if we run with this BEFORE we declare war on Iran and North Korea.

Yeah, I'm kidding.

Or....am I?

 

[unclemick]

Worked for the Roman Empire or at least reasonably close - untill being a barbarian and a nice straight forward sacking of Rome became popular.

 

[LRS]

Didn't essentially the same deal take place during both the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War? During the Civil War, immigrants would get off the boat in NY, walk over to the recruiting officer at the end of the dock and get measured for a uniform. Then off to war, sometimes without having learned English first. And sometimes dying within a few weeks of arriving.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Its actually happened a lot in history, across quite a few civilizations.

Quite often, the 'volunteers' were nothing of the sort, and the promised citizenship (or freedom) didnt materialize.

I was just looking at the recent tests Iran did of the missile that can reach the US and the torpedo that travels at over 200MPH and thought "wow, where are we going to get a million extra soldiers...?"

 

[2B]

Well. All of this may certainly resolve the ER issue.

I had a discussion once with someone about the Irish Brigade and the plan to capture Canada after the Civil War. I thought they were going to go nuts on me. He vigourously defended the patriotism of his IA ancestors to their adopted country. I had to change the subject and leave quickly.

That was almost as good as the time I told a Japanese American all of the reasons supporting the internment of 1st generation Japanese and Germans and their American born children. First, he denied any Germans were interned. Second, he wouldn't believe there were any reasons except racism. Granted, a lot of the internment business was pretty sucky but the times were much more complicated than "me white, you not."

Now about the antiwar movement during WWII and why you hardly heard anything about it........

 

[unclemick]

Hmmm

I wouldn't be an American - if it weren't for draft dodgers in the family tree.

Late 1800's a lot of Finn's came to America to avoid the Russian draft - Rudyard Kipling and the British fun in old Afganistan notwithstanding. Siberian service was considered boring and highly inconvinient.

Took a few decades - but Mannerheim got even - sort of.

P.S. Isn't volunteer service now - done in a below the radar sort of way to give a leg up toward citizenship?

 

[laurence]

Isn't that the MO of the French Foriegn Legion as well? Didn't a bill in congress get floated to ease the path to citizenship for those who served?

In all seriousness, I think the problem is our armed forces won't want them. No longer can we send our first time felons or high school dropouts, I had friends who were compelled to finish high school so the army would admit them. High tech army needs it's recruits literate in English. Nonetheless, I think we should make every effort to grant citizenship to those who've served in the armed forces.....and perhaps we could expand that, say, sign up for peace corp., Americorp. etc. for a 1-2 year stint and get a greencard. They get training in basic skills, a primer on the English language, help with major public works in the good ol' U.S. of A. and demonstrate their sincerity on wanting to contribute to the country and be part of the solution. Would kind of suck the hot air out of the argument that they're here to suck down cheeseburgers that welfare bought them...

 

[2B]

I know several people who got citizenship due to service in Viet Nam. That's been a basic premise back to the Civil War / Period of Misunderstanding between North and South. I don't believe there were any issues about citizenship during the Revolutionary War because I don't think anyone cared or thought about it. If you owned land, you were a citizen. If you didn't, buy some or you don't get to vote.

 

[samclem]

Legal residents can enlist in the US armed forces. Successful completion of service brings an acceleration of the granting of citizenship I believe.

 

[Nords]

I wouldn't be an American - if it weren't for draft dodgers in the family tree.

Same here. I guess it's payback?

Legal residents can enlist in the US armed forces.  Successful completion of service brings an acceleration of the granting of citizenship I believe. 

Yup.

http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/MilitaryBrochurev7.htm