Top 10 reasons to oppose the Enlist Act (H.R. 2377)

From FAIR:

The Amnesty Lobby is outraged that true immigration reformers prevented a "military amnesty" from making it onto the defense spending bill. This is an exciting victory for true reformers -- but we are not in the clear yet!

The Amnesty Lobby sees the ENLIST ACT as their best chance to slip amnesty by the American people. The proposed bill will open military service to certain illegal aliens and hands them green cards with the option to become a citizen immediately -- forget waiting at the back of the line!

But it does not stop there. Current policy memos would make any amnestied illegal alien's extended family eligible for amnesty, too. 

TOP 10 REASONS TO OPPOSE THE ENLIST ACT (H.R. 2377)

Top 10 reasons to oppose the Enlist Act (H.R. 2377)

1. The ENLIST Act is amnesty.  It undermines the rule of law and is inherently unfair to legal immigrants.  The ENLIST Act gives legal status to illegal aliens, thereby rewarding them with the very objective of their illegal activity. And, by granting green cards upon enlistment, in creates an inherently unfair situation in which one set of people – illegal aliens -- receive better treatment under the law than another – legal immigrants.  The ENLIST Act puts those who broke our immigration laws on par with those who waited patiently in line – often for years – to immigrate to the U.S. legally.  Then it puts illegal aliens ahead of would-be immigrants waiting for their green cards outside of the country.
2. The ENLIST Act jeopardizes our national security and public safety. Illegal aliens lack valid U.S. documents, a necessity for thorough background checks. Without reliable information, it is unlikely the government will be able to verify an alien's identity and check for any criminal activity in the U.S. or the alien's home country. This is an invitation to terrorists to fake their eligibility and obtain green cards, allowing them to freely enter and exit the U.S. without further scrutiny.
3. The ENLIST Act grants zero discretion to the Department of Homeland Security to deny green cards. The ENLIST Act affirmatively requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to automatically give illegal aliens who enlist in the military a green card.  Indeed, the ENLIST Act states that the DHS Secretary "shall" adjust the status of an illegal alien who qualifies under the bill and enlists in a regular component of the military to that of a legal permanent resident.
4. The ENLIST Act makes illegal aliens immediately eligible for U.S. citizenship upon enlistment. The ENLIST Act doesn't just give illegal aliens a green card upon enlistment. When combined with existing provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), it also places illegal aliens on an expedited path to citizenship. (See INA §§ 328,329; see also H.R. 2377 § 2(b)) One day of honorable service is sufficient to be eligible for naturalization.
5. The ENLIST Act grants amnesty not only to illegal aliens who enlist, but to their family members as well. Pursuant to the USCIS policy memo issued November 15, 2013, the Obama Administration is now granting "parole in place" to the illegal alien family members of current and veteran U.S. servicemen and women.  This "parole in place" enables these illegal alien family members to obtain green cards and citizenship.
6. The ENLIST Act is not just for "kids." There is no age limit on who may qualify for a green card or citizenship under the ENLIST Act. Rather, the ENLIST Act uses the age limit provided under current law for entering the military, which allows for individuals up to the age of 42 to enlist. (10 U.S.C. 505(a))
7. The ENLIST Act is not just for those who were "brought here through no fault of their own." Though ENLIST Act proponents claim that it is to benefit illegal aliens who were "brought here through no fault of their own," it applies to illegal aliens who overstayed their visas or crossed the border unlawfully as unaccompanied minors.
8. The ENLIST Act is not needed to boost military enlistment.  Each branch of the Armed Services (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard) reached or exceeded 100 percent of their enlistment targets for Fiscal Year 2013 and Fiscal Year 2014. Moreover, the Pentagon currently plans to shrink the Armed Forces over the next three years, the Army alone, by 20 percent. In effect, reductions in the size of the military, combined with the ENLIST Act, would have the ironic effect of denying U.S. citizens who want to serve the opportunity to do so.
9. The ENLIST Act creates additional burdens for our Armed Forces. The ENLIST Act would convert the Armed Forces into a green card mill. It would be required to conduct a wave of background checks on illegal alien enlistees, continually transfer information to USCIS, and certify various discharges and types of service in order to enforce the bill's provisions.
10. The Enlist Act will do nothing to solve our immigration problem, but will encourage even more illegal immigration. The ENLIST Act does nothing to enforce our immigration laws, eliminate chain migration, protect American workers, ensure public safety, or protect national security.  Instead, it sends the message that the U.S. has no intention of enforcing our immigration laws, thereby encouraging even more illegal immigration. It will especially encourage young foreign nationals to sneak across our borders or overstay their visas with the hope that they can legally or fraudulently enlist in the military and obtain green cards for themselves and potentially their family members.

Article:

House Closes a Door to Military Amnesty, but Senate Remains Open, FAIR, May 21, 2014

(FAIR is not affiliated with CAIRCO).