Can A Terrorist Slip Through In The MAVNI Program?
It’s a one-year pilot program, which seems strange…one-year? How can any determination of how well it is working come after one year? The Defense Department’s Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) pilot recruiting program has taken off.
MAVNI allows “nonimmigrants” to sign a contract and enlist in the armed forces. Then the recruit may become naturalized just a few months later. The nonimmigrant must be here at least two years legally before joining the MAVNI program.
On July 17th, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) naturalized the first nonimmigrant to enlist in the Army. “Dr. Brown” was the very first to join the plan, and after just serving three months, he is now a U.S. citizen. Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? Well, that’s the problem.
Even though the rules state a nonimmigrant must be here two years before entering the program, could there be a way for a terrorist to slip through? Some of the 9-11 terrorists were here legally (although not for two years straight). Just think about it; after only three months Dr. Brown became a U.S. citizen. The potential for a terrorist to become a U.S. citizen on the fast-track is out there – it’s real.
The one-year MAVNI pilot program will allow up to 1,000 non-citizens, who do not have permanent resident status but have been here legally for at least two years, to join the Army if they have the needed medical or foreign language and cultural expertise.
While citizenship is not guaranteed, nonimmigrants who apply under the MAVNI pilot program must undergo the same background checks, security screening and meet all of the general qualifications to become citizens of the United States, as do all other members of the U.S. armed forces who apply for citizenship.
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4 Responses so far
mickey
July 23rd, 2009
5:27 pm
They do real good background check , its the army my friend … they do FBI checks … going 7 years … for every residence u held and people you knew . So I guess its pretty safe .
NAVY11
August 11th, 2009
4:25 pm
I think that terrorists will not slip via MANVI any more than by any other means of becoming a US citizen. Even if you get a US passport after 10 years living in the US, but doing so without integration and continuing to live in the ethnic circle of origin, you could be more prone for terrorist recruitment than by being in the military. That said, the safest thing would be if the army would not employ even naturalized citizens, that is obviously impossible.
The MANVI healthcare professionals are doctors and nurses who are caring for patients in the US anyway.
Righty
August 11th, 2009
8:41 pm
Thank you for the two comments.
I understand your sentiments, but there are those in the medical profession who are terrorists.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/03/world/europe/03iht-britain.5.6476485.html
And England has Taliban being trained there.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23359557/
I know it isn’t related to our miltary…but it’s just something to think about.
Anonymous
October 15th, 2009
1:27 pm
A terrorist can slip into the Army as a US citizen. Tim McVeigh did–he served in the Army long before he blew up the Oklahoma City federal building. But he was born in Buffalo, NY and was brought up as a Catholic.