Legislation to Protect Immigrant Service Members and Veterans Passes House Judiciary Committee

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Chair of the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship, applauded the House Judiciary Committee's passage of the Veteran Service Recognition Act last night. The legislation will make it easier for noncitizens who serve to naturalize, allow noncitizen veterans who have been deported an opportunity to apply for legal permanent residence, establish a review process for noncitizen service members and veterans who are in removal proceedings, and make it easier for immediate family members of veterans and service members to obtain lawful permanent resident status.

"Service members and veterans deserve the rights and benefits they were promised when they enlisted to defend our country," said Rep. Lofgren. "This includes the ability to naturalize, which our current immigration laws promise to those who serve. I'm proud the House Judiciary Committee advanced this important legislation to ensure our country keeps its promise to veterans and gives those who were unjustly removed the opportunity to potentially return."

The Veteran Service Recognition Act was introduced in June by Lofgren, and Reps. Mark Takano (CA-41), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Lou Correa (CA-46), Juan Vargas (CA-51), and Raul Ruiz (CA-36). Last month, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship held a hearing to explore avenues to support noncitizen service members, veterans, and their family members.

The Veteran Service Recognition Act will help prevent the deportation of veterans by:

• Directing the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense to implement a program that allows noncitizen service members to file for naturalization during basic training, or as early as otherwise possible;
• Establishing a Military Family Immigration Advisory Committee to review the cases of noncitizen veterans and active service members in removal proceedings and to provide recommendations on whether prosecutorial discretion is warranted, or whether the removal proceedings should continue;
• Providing an opportunity for noncitizen veterans who have been removed or ordered removed and who have not been convicted of serious crimes to apply for and obtain legal permanent resident status if it is in the public interest; and
• Allowing immediate relatives of service members or veterans with an approved immigrant petition to be able to adjust their status and obtain a green card as long as they are admissible.

A one-pager on the bill is available here. Full text of the Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute adopted by the Judiciary Committee is available here.