Take a look at the face of bigotry and how it destroys lives. The Associated Press reports that at least 40 immigrant recruits and Army reservists who enlisted with a promised path to citizenship have been abruptly discharged, without explanation, with an “uncharacterized discharge” neither honorable nor dishonorable. The real explanation appears to be that they are immigrants, plain and simple, from countries such as Brazil, Iran, and Pakistan.
The service members affected by the recent discharges all enlisted in recent years under a special program aimed at bringing medical specialists and fluent speakers of 44 sought-after languages into the military. The idea, according to the Defense Department, was to “recognize their contribution and sacrifice.”
“Immigrants have been serving in the Army since 1775,” [Immigration Attorney Margaret] Stock said. “We wouldn’t have won the revolution without immigrants. And we’re not going to win the global war on terrorism today without immigrants.”
Stock said the service members she’s heard from had been told the Defense Department had not managed to put them through extensive background checks, which include CIA, FBI and National Intelligence Agency screenings and counterintelligence interviews. Therefore, by default, they do not meet the background check requirement.
“It’s a vicious cycle,” she said.
What’s sad, is not only do these people bring good background and skills to the service, they went into the Army for the best of all reasons; they love this country.
[Lucas] Calixto, who lives in Massachusetts and came to the U.S. when he was 12, said in an email interview arranged through his attorney that he joined the Army out of patriotism.
In the suit, Calixto said he learned he was being kicked out soon after he was promoted to private second class.
The Pakistani service member who spoke to the AP said he learned in a phone call a few weeks ago that his military career was over.
The AP interviewed Calixto and recruits from Pakistan and Iran, all of whom said they were devastated by their unexpected discharges.
“Now the great feeling I had when I enlisted is going down the drain,” said Calixto, 28. “I don’t understand why this is happening.”
In hopes of undoing the discharge, he filed a lawsuit in Washington, D.C., last week alleging the Defense Department hadn’t given him a chance to defend himself or appeal. He said he was given no specific grounds other than “personnel security.”
Trump and his administration are responsible for an immense amount of human pain and suffering. These are stories of more shattered lives. And for what? A bigoted, inhumane agenda that is targeting people, via racial profiling, and then destroying them. That is supposed to serve what purpose, exactly? This is not American, this is Satanic.
Well, I’m sure the Administration has plans to make sure all these personnel are replaced. I mean, there’ve got to be, what, tens of “proud boys” who will just snap up those now-empty slots which, of course, they weren’t able to get before now because of those lousy, filthy immigrants (who were, you know, just taking more jobs away from “good ‘Murkans”).
This is so sick. These people are valuable. Their language skills and knowledge of other cultures alone are priceless. Add to that a good work ethic and love of country — and we’re screwing these people over? I have to admit, my jaw dropped at this one.
I’d call that optimistic at best. It would presuppose that this admin was going to make it longer than 2021, which is far from a sure thing. Given the epic mismanagement on just about every other front, why should we assume that this scheme will work any better than all the others?
Replace them with Donie Jr, Eric, Ivanka and Jared.
Now, why couldn’t they get the basic security checks done in a reasonable amount of time?
I certainly want a trace on the orders to eliminate these valuable members of our troops, in the field they could stop lots of confusion and neighborhood conflicts, from our appearances there …. send up a flare, we are being surrounded by a totally stupid WH …. these young people are offering up their very lives to our country … what service position has Trump had where he offered up his own life for ANYBODY?