Ruben Navarrette: Be wary of offering military service as a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

[almaty 19]

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- What if we offered illegal immigrants a path to citizenship that included a stint in the U.S. military?

The idea has been trumpeted by thoughtful people such as Max Boot, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, who thinks this is the time for a "freedom legion." He's talking about a unit of the military made up entirely of the foreign-born -- including illegal immigrants -- where the compensation would include U.S. citizenship.

About 70,000 foreign-born men and women serve in the U.S. armed forces, or about 5 percent of the total active-duty force, according to the Pentagon. Of those, nearly 30,000 -- or about 43 percent -- are not U.S. citizens.

Roping illegal immigrants into military service could accomplish two goals at once: helping alleviate the military's recruitment worries while giving the undocumented a chance to prove that their commitment to this country extends beyond a paycheck.

We're already talking about requiring illegal immigrants to learn English, pay fines, and return to their home countries to earn legal status. Why not, some say, raise the stakes and require men and women between 18 and 42 to serve a couple of years in the military to earn something even more precious: U.S. citizenship for themselves and their children?

The idea appealed to a reader in upstate New York who called me to gauge my reaction. I told him that I hadn't made up my mind, but that the concept did fit with my view that any conferring of legal status be laden with onerous conditions so that it really is earned. To earn it, illegal immigrants should have to do everything but walk across broken glass.

Still, I told him, I'm not sure how those who oppose comprehensive reform but support turning illegal immigrants into cannon fodder go about squaring that circle. Restrictionists and racists have argued that illegal immigrants are invading this country, and that they're a dangerous menace to society that is prone to all sorts of violent and criminal behavior.

Of course, many native-born U.S. citizens are just as menacing. But for those who believe that illegal immigrants are inherently violent, do they really want to give these folks military training and a M-16, to help them graduate from menacing to lethal? After all, assuming they survive their stint in the military, they eventually have to return stateside. Then they're our problem.

Consider the ghastly events in Newark, New Jersey, where three African-American students were killed execution-style and a fourth was shot in the head but survived. The accused ringleader is Jose Carranza, an illegal immigrant from Peru, who was previously charged with raping a 5-year-old girl and threatening her parents.

Twice indicted by grand juries, Carranza slipped through the cracks and was released on bail. Authorities say that the 28-year-old construction worker led at least four other individuals in attacking the youths with a gun and a machete. If convicted, Carranza could get the death penalty.

Glad to hear it. If half the things they say about this creep are true, Carranza belongs on death row. But guess what? He sure doesn't belong on an Army recruitment poster, or handling heavy artillery.

[Jasman0717 9]

Wasn't this something George Carlin commented on? I think he said something to the fact that if illegal aliens wanted to become citizens give them a gun and send them to Iraq and if they didn't want to do that then send them to Iraq anyway, just don't give them a gun

[almaty 19]

yes, i remember ol' george...he is always witty

[Jasman0717 9]

yes, i remember ol' george...he is always witty

I loved that routine he did about illegal immigration and gas costs, wish I could remember it all.

[russ 1]

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- What if we offered illegal immigrants a path to citizenship that included a stint in the U.S. military?

I was in the military - but I don't think that this is a good idea. I didn't view my service as a type of punishment.

The reality is that the all-volunteer military is fairly well trained and educated (officers and NCOs), and while I have no experience with the Army, I believe finishing high school and speaking English are still a firm requirement. Standards may have loosened lately, but I don't expect that trend to last.

Turning people into professional soldiers is something that takes time and money. It can't be done quickly, which is one reason military contracts are fairly long. 2 years of service is not enough. Most of it is used for training.

This isn't new - way back when (40 years ago), judges would give minor criminals a choice of jail or the Army.

Besides - how many illegals would be fit for military service? It is really men 18-27 that are most useful in combat roles. While the standards are loosening, that is not improving the quality of soldiers. Furthermore, in the "war on terror," why should we want more foreign nationals whose backgrounds are not well known? We would need a ton of spanish speaking investiagators in Mexico to do background checks. Doesn't seem practical. I doubt many Mexican illegals are terorrists, but Americans get thorough background investigations (I did), while US citizens are not likely to be spies or terrorists either.

There already are illegals in the military, and they are already granted relief from deportation.

[almaty 19]

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- What if we offered illegal immigrants a path to citizenship that included a stint in the U.S. military?

I was in the military - but I don't think that this is a good idea. I didn't view my service as a type of punishment.

The reality is that the all-volunteer military is fairly well trained and educated (officers and NCOs), and while I have no experience with the Army, I believe finishing high school and speaking English are still a firm requirement. Standards may have loosened lately, but I don't expect that trend to last.

Turning people into professional soldiers is something that takes time and money. It can't be done quickly, which is one reason military contracts are fairly long. 2 years of service is not enough. Most of it is used for training.

This isn't new - way back when (40 years ago), judges would give minor criminals a choice of jail or the Army.

Besides - how many illegals would be fit for military service? It is really men 18-27 that are most useful in combat roles. While the standards are loosening, that is not improving the quality of soldiers. Furthermore, in the "war on terror," why should we want more foreign nationals whose backgrounds are not well known? We would need a ton of spanish speaking investiagators in Mexico to do background checks. Doesn't seem practical. I doubt many Mexican illegals are terorrists, but Americans get thorough background investigations (I did), while US citizens are not likely to be spies or terrorists either.

There already are illegals in the military, and they are already granted relief from deportation.

excellent post, brother russ

[James 2]

Wasn't this something George Carlin commented on? I think he said something to the fact that if illegal aliens wanted to become citizens give them a gun and send them to Iraq and if they didn't want to do that then send them to Iraq anyway, just don't give them a gun

Definitely not George Carlin. As the link below debunking this fake indicates, when Carlin has something to say about current events, his remarks are insightful and funny, and this is neither.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/georgecar...in_illegals.htm

[C and J 1]

I think the person who came up with this must have been watching Starship Troopers. There's a recruitment advert in the movie which says:

They're doing their part. Are you? Join the Mobile Infantry and save the world. Service guarantees citizenship.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

I think the person who came up with this must have been watching Starship Troopers. There's a recruitment advert in the movie which says:

They're doing their part. Are you? Join the Mobile Infantry and save the world. Service guarantees citizenship.

love that movie! i'm doing my part! i'm doing my part too!

[almaty 19]

I think the person who came up with this must have been watching Starship Troopers. There's a recruitment advert in the movie which says:

They're doing their part. Are you? Join the Mobile Infantry and save the world. Service guarantees citizenship.

love that movie! i'm doing my part! i'm doing my part too!

i agree..had some goos scences..and yes, i would be a citizen

[Dr_LHA 3]

I wasn't so much reminded of Starship Troopers (although that movie is excellent) as the South Park movie when they were talking about a "unit of the military made up entirely of the foreign-born" which sounds a awful lot like Operation:Send in the Darkies.

Edited August 15, 2007 by Dr_LHA

[almaty 19]

I wasn't so much reminded of Starship Troopers (although that movie is excellent) as the South Park movie when they were talking about a "unit of the military made up entirely of the foreign-born" which sounds a awful lot like Operation:Send in the Darkies.

\

lol... i remember that was funny...Chef was dressed like Braveheart.