Rep. Demings Votes for Citizenship for U.S. Veterans

Florida Rep. Val Demings on Wednesday voted in the House Judiciary Committee to pass the Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022, legislation to give U.S. service members and veterans pathways to U.S. permanent residency and citizenship.

“Tens of thousands of American veterans who served our country honorably have been deported, often back to countries they could hardly remember. I’m proud to support the Veteran Service Recognition Act, which will give our active service members a pathway to citizenship, and will give deported veterans a pathway back home to the U.S. This is a question of basic fairness. Men and women who have risked their lives in America’s defense have proved their loyalty to our nation, and we owe them the same respect that they showed us," Said Rep. Demings.

Background

HR 7946, the Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022, would:

1. direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to implement a program that allows non-citizen service members to file for naturalization during basic training, or as early as otherwise possible;
2. establish a Military Family Immigration Advisory Committee to review and provide recommendations on the cases of noncitizen veterans, active service members, and their families who are in removal proceedings; and
3. provide an opportunity for noncitizen veterans who have been removed or ordered removed and who have not been convicted of serious crimes, to apply for legal permanent resident status.

The U.S. has deported up to tens of thousands of military veterans. Estimates vary widely because the data is not tracked.