Following Trump announcing the End of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program, the Pentagon has no idea what to do about the approximately 900 DACA Recipients who are either Serving or have Signed Contracts to Serve in Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MANVI), a Program created in 2009 to allow Foreign Nationals to Join the U.S. Military if they could Demonstrate certain Skills.
The MAVNI Program is a Recruitment Program by the United States Department of Defense, through which Legal Non-Immigrants, not Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents of USA, with certain Critical Skills are Recruited into the Military Services of U.S. Certain Health Care Professionals and Experts in Certain Languages meet Eligibility Requirements for Recruitment through this Program. MAVNI was Spearheaded by Immigration Attorney Margaret Stock, a former U.S. Army Reserve and West Point Professor.
Soldiers belonging to the Enlisted Rank, and Recruited through this Program, become Citizen of the United States usually at the End of their Basic Combat Training (BCT). An Announcement from the Pentagon in October 2014 Declared that Certain People belonging to the DACA Program may become Eligible for the MAVNI Program.
In 2008, when the Program Started, it was a One-Year Pilot Program with a Cap of 1000 Recruits.
Following the Success of the Pilot, the Program was Renewed. As of December 2014, the Program has been Extended until 2016, with a Raised Cap of 5000 Recruits.
Enlistments are Permitted for both Active-Duty and Reserve Assignments, but not in the National Guard.
As of December 2016, MAVNI is under Review and Closed Indefinitely.
The Hundreds of DACA Recipients who Signed Up for the Military make up only a Small Fraction of the nearly 800,000 so-called “Dreamers” Approved for the Protections. Still, they are in a Unique Position. If they Lose DACA, they would be Unable to Work and likely Unable to Fulfill their Commitments to Serve in the United States Military. But the Department of Defense (DOD) has not yet Announced how it would Deal with them.
Just last month, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis put a Temporary Freeze to Trump’s Ban on Trans Service Mmembers, and the Commander-in-Chief who got Five Vietnam War Deferrals is set again pushing out Americans who Love their Country and want to Serve.
Despite this Anti-Immigrant Attack, DACA Recipients and Undocumented Men are still Required to Sign Up for Selective Service.
“Dreamers have long pushed for the ability to join the military in larger numbers, pointing out that many of them are ineligible for the MAVNI program,” notes Immigration Reporter Elise Foley. “Now, Dreamers may lose their ability to serve even there—and they may be at risk of being forced out of the country entirely after six months.”
The Answer is Simple. Pass the DREAM Act of 2017 and Let them Serve.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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