Back from Iraq, soldier could be deported

SEATTLE � Army Pvt. Juan Escalante came home to Seattle after a four-month tour of duty in Iraq to face a challenge most of his fellow soldiers would never expect: deportation.

In addition to being a soldier who proudly wears the blue-and-white combat patch on his Army uniform, 19-year-old Escalante is also an illegal immigrant from Mexico. If military authorities decide to discharge him, he could be deported.

www.armytimes.com...

Maybe it's just me, but I think joining our armed forces and fighting our wars should earn a sodier a fast-track to citizenship.

I disagree.
1) If anyone who is illegal in the country, and knows it, joins anything that is directly controled by the Gov't, they are dumb. That's that.. and we have enough dumb people in the country as it is. Most illegals try and keep a low profile.. not wave their ass in the gov'ts face.

2) That would be a new, and easy way for illegal immigrants to bypass immigration laws, there are already enough exploitable loopholes.


That is of course just my opinion.

The pride that a soldier brings to his family, let alone the pride an immigrant (albeit illegal) brings to his family?
I think that that's a more valid loophole than the marrying a citizen bull#, and I think that if the military is desperate enough to overlook his non-citizenship to let him enlist, then they should overlook it now. Yet another example of the Hypocrisy and Bull# that the government serves up like a blue plate special.

Ok well.. I wouldn't care one bit if they overlooked it in his case, or any other that have slipped in this way in the past year or more.. but I think that they should change it now.

I just think there are too many easy loopholes for illegal's to enter and stay in the country.. why make it easier?

And just so there is no confusion, and people think I'm a racist, anti immagration kinda guy.. I'm all for people entering the country.. I just want them to do it legally.

You have a very valid point. I just think that there should definitely be some immigration reform, just not the way that you're thinking. The marry a citizen loophole is a stinky ass pile of GARBAGE! If they want a real way to get in, a soldier should be able to secure citizenship.

When I was in, we had people from Canada, Scotland, The Wst Indies, and pacific Island who did not posses american citizenship. Recruiters dont care, they want bodies to make thier quotas. The problem there is communication. They didnt speak english worth a #, a problem that could prove disaterous, as I have seen it become.

They need to tighten up who enters and who doesnt period. Not just take any breathing corpse off the street. At the very least, they should have a valid greencard, and be able to speak clear coherent English.

This guy, however, already got through, already served in the army. So, its a little late to deport him. He stays. Anyone else in the army should recieve blanket immunity if they have served.

However, they really need to tighten up who gets in and not. What if say, a terrorist got in illegally, joined the army so he could gain acess to some nasty stuff, and use it against other soldiers, or even civilians?

This guy should be let off the hook tho. Everyone who is in thats illegal should be checked out for background, and if they are cool, then let em stay. Its a little late now to be enforcing our weak and pathetic immigration laws.

For vets who serve in a combat zone,who risk their lives for this country?,yes immunity.
If there is no combat duty,they should have the option of straightening out the legalities of their being in the US,or willfully go back home.
If none of the above,deport.
Seems that our government is not even fullfilling their end of the contract when it comes to loyalty and risking life and limb any more.
Sorry state of affairs we are in...

I was under the impression that military service meant citizenship...but never really looked into it. It certainly should. After all, we're not talking about an average illegal immigrant here. One who doesn't speak a lick of english wouldn't get very far during boot camp..... This guy obviously had some chops, so I say... Let him in. I'd rather have him in than an illegal who's working under the table for peanuts, using services he doesn't pay taxes for......