Published: 03-13-08
Bipartisan bill builds on Sen. Cornyn’s legislation enacted into law in 2003 to reduce wait times for non-citizens serving in U.S. military
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn Ranking Member of the Immigration and Border Security subcommittee made the following statement Wednesday regarding unanimous Senate passage of legislation he co-sponsored to further expedite the citizenship process for non-citizens serving in the U.S. military. The Kendell Frederick Assistance to Citizenship Act S. 2516 builds on legislation Sen. Cornyn enacted into law in 2003:
“Thousands of service members who are not yet U.S. citizens put their lives on the line every day to defend America and protect our freedom. But bureaucratic delays in processing military citizenship cases have hindered their ability to gain the privilege and honor of citizenship. I’m encouraged that the Senate unanimously passed this appropriate legislation to help honor those who serve in our all-volunteer military. We are sending a clear message to these troops that we welcome their service and will be proud to call them fellow Americans.”
Background:
• Shortly after 9/11 President Bush signed an executive order allowing non-citizens on active duty to file for citizenship immediately upon enlistment instead of having to first complete three years of service.
• But delays in background checks and obstacles to inter-agency file-sharing prevented the citizenship process for immigrant members of the military from being expedited leading to delays of up to years.
• The Kendell Frederick Assistance to Citizenship Act S. 2516 authorizes the Department of Homeland Security’s use of fingerprints submitted by military personnel at the time of enlistment to adjudicate military naturalization applications. S. 2516 also requires centralization of military naturalization cases and adjudication within 180 days from receipt of all background checks.
• Sen. Cornyn’s Military Citizenship Act enacted in 2003 expedited citizenship applications for non-citizens in the U.S. military by reducing the required period of service from three years to two and authorizing naturalization proceedings at U.S. embassies consulates and military installations abroad.
Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee.
