Thread: Soldiers worry illegal relatives will be deported

Soldiers worry illegal relatives will be deported

GIs fear about family could lower morale as immigrants swell military ranks



Haydee Rodriguez was afraid she would be deported while her husband was overseas, which would leave her son in limbo.


Yaderlin Jimenez was an illegal immigrant facing deportation. Her husband, a U.S. citizen and soldier, couldn’t help her because he was missing after an insurgent attack in Iraq.

Army Spc. Alex Jimenez of Lawrence, Mass., disappeared in May after he was apparently snatched in a raid on his unit south of Baghdad. His capture drew national attention to his wife’s deportation case, and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asked immigration officials to halt the proceedings. His wife then became a legal resident.

But the couple’s plight put a public face on the private anguish of a growing number of military families in similar straits.

About 35,000 legal immigrants without citizenship are now serving in the military, and nearly 34,000 other service members have taken the citizenship oath since 2001. That means when immigrant soldiers ship off to Iraq, they may carry with them a worry their American-born counterparts are less likely to share: that their family members might be deported while they are away.

“Every base has immigration problems,â€

Is there no facet of this country that this isn't effecting?
I am sorry these people are having these problems but, they rolled the dice and took their chances.



Head 'em up,move 'em out Rawhide!

This is a hard one. If a military person who goes to war for our country and has an illegal wife or husband what should happen? If you don't agree with the war or you do it is someone who risks dying for our country.
Could it be that is what Bush is looking for? Illegals to fight the war? I have often wondered about that.

I agree Rawhide. They rolled the dice. It's not like they never knew that this could happen.

You are right.

"“If I’m willing to die for the United States, why can’t I just be allowed to be with my family?â€

This is a hard one. If a military person who goes to war for our country and has an illegal wife or husband what should happen?

Once again we're going to talk about consequences here. If you choose to break the law should you be punished for it? The man chose to marry an illegal knowing that she could be deported...does being in the military make you immune to the law?

The people in the military ARE NOT ILLEGALS. They MUST have a green card and be here LEGALLY to join. ILLEGALS CANNOT ENLIST.

Where the illegals come in, are the spouses and children.

Well, he knew what the law was he should have help his wife, girlfriend whatever become a legal citizen. He's not immune from the law either.

First, ICE is working overtime to come up with the sob stories about deporations, aren't they?

Now if they can find all these sad thins so soon, why can't they simply locate run-of-the-mill ilegals - by the millions?


This is a story about illegal spouses, but illegals in the military - I understand it is the law they can't be in the military. We need to be honest with ourselves and realize the law says they can't be here, period. They can't work on military bases, for military suppliers, for the American government. They can't work anywhere. They can't get welfare benefits. They can't drive a car, etc., etc, etc. All those things they do - and then some.

To think some haven't gotten into the military is wishful thinking. They need a green card and ID - which is available on many street corners in America. With recruiters being pushed to meet the quota -