Table 1
Excerpted Findings on Academic & Grey Literature Pertaining to U.S. Military Foreign-Born Veterans.
| Author and Year | Study Type | Service Status | Summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Barry (2008) | Academic/Quantitative | Veterans | This study analyzed after-service earnings of young (22–27) foreign-born veterans and compared the findings against young (22–27) foreign-born nonveterans. The study found that foreign-born veterans earn at least 20 percent more than their nonveteran counterparts. The author contributed the findings to the human capital the veterans built while in the military based on the training and experience they received. |
| 2. | Chishti et al. (2019) | Policy Paper | Service members | This policy paper highlighted many topics, primarily focusing on the MAVNI program and foreign-born recruits in general. It discussed the shortage of Army recruits and how the foreign-born could fill those gaps. It laid out policy changes under the Obama and Trump administrations concerning MAVNI and how those changes made it difficult for foreign-born to enlist in the military. Finally, it offered solutions and steps forward for handling the MAVNI recruits. |
| 3. | Copp (2018) | Grey Literature | Service members | This grey literature mentioned MAVNI and how the enhanced security and background checks put in place under the Obama and Trump administrations could leave some current foreign-born recruits out of military service since their immigration status can change while waiting for the checks to clear. The recruits must start basic training within three years of signing their contract, yet the background checks can take longer than that; they cannot start basic training until the checks are completed. This essentially times them out from being able to enlist and fulfill their contract. |
| 4. | Copp (2019) | Grey Literature | Service members | This grey literature highlighted the decline in naturalizations for both military and civilian foreign-born from 2017–2019. During this period, there was a seventy-nine percent decrease in naturalization requests through the military by foreign-born personnel. Also, during this same period, there was a thirty-four percent decrease in foreign-born civilian naturalization requests. Finally, the piece discussed how some foreign-born had their visas expired while waiting to pass the background checks. They were then sent back to their home country and had to reapply for a visa all over again. |
| 5. | Gambler (2019) | Government Report | Veterans | This government report considered ICE and its removal procedures of foreign-born veterans. Data was gathered from the Office of Principal Legal Advisor’s electronic alien file database [PLAnet] from the years 2013-2018. The Philippines and Mexico were the most represented nationalities during this period. The report found that ICE did not always follow protocol when dealing with this group of veterans when placed in removal proceedings. There was inconsistency in ICE’s handling of foreign-born veterans. The report discussed reasons why some foreign-born veterans were being deported, aggravated felonies being the main cause. |
| 6. | Horton (2019) | Grey Literature | Veterans | This grey literature tied in with the Government Report produced by Gambler. It discussed ICE and its lack of fully enforcing background checks on foreign-born veterans when undergoing deportation proceedings. It highlighted the confusion by many involved in the naturalization process. Commanders who were to sign off on naturalizations were sometimes unaware of the process and made mistakes. ICE seemed to be confused on proper protocols for handling foreign-born veterans. Finally, the foreign-born themselves seemed to be confused as to how the naturalization process worked. |
| 7. | Jordan (2017) | Grey Literature | Veterans | This grey literature mentioned the return of a deported veteran. This may have been the first time a foreign-born veteran was allowed to return to the U.S. after being deported. Marco A. Chavez, a Marine veteran, was deported after spending time in prison for animal cruelty. He spent fifteen years in Mexico before returning to the US. However, he had been raised in the US and did not know Spanish or the culture when he was deported. Deportation also brought a divorce and no time spent with his children. The piece mentioned that the U.S. does not keep track of the exact number of deported veterans; however, it is believed to be well over 200 cases. |
| 8. | Sexton (2008) | Administrative and Civil Law Note | Service members | This civil law note stressed that foreign-born service members should not have to die in order to become U.S. citizens. The author discussed the importance of the foreign-born service member knowing their rights to naturalize quickly through the military. The key way to ensure that foreign-born service members know their options is through information provided by the military, especially Judge Advocates who provide legal assistance. |
| 9. | Shagin (2013) | Legal Note | Veterans | This legal note was written to educate readers on the deportation of foreign-born veterans and how it can cause a breakup in families. The author argued that the loyalty shown by these veterans should be enough to warrant citizenship and that foreign-born who serve in the military should automatically be naturalized as citizens once they take the oath to serve. The author also argued that certain felonies are unjust for causes of deportation, especially sale of a small amount of marijuana, which classifies as an aggravated felony. |
| 10. | Shapiro (2019) | NPR Broadcast | Veterans | This NPR broadcast shed light on PTSD and how that might cause veterans to commit crimes. Jose Segovia came to the U.S. as a baby and served in the Marines. After serving, he committed crimes involving drugs and assault. After spending four years in prison, he was detained by ICE upon his release. He waits in a detention center currently awaiting his fate on deportation. If deported he would be returning somewhere he has not been since the age of three. |
| 11. | Stock (2013) | Informational Piece | Service members | This informational piece laid out issues foreign-born service members and their families encounter in their military service. The author is an immigration lawyer and retired Lieutenant Colonel from the Army Reserve and is often cited in many of the sources used in this scoping study. The author provided the requirements for enlistment of foreign-born service members, the naturalization procedures of these individuals and highlighted many laws that affect them specifically. |
| 12. | Ward (2018) | Grey Literature | Service members | This grey literature shed light on the history of the increasing background checks regarding MAVNI recruits. The author noted that both President Obama and Trump were to blame for these enhanced checks. Many MAVNI personnel came from Africa and Asia and because of the lack of record keeping in certain countries and the more stringent background checks; recruits were not always able to start basic training on time. |
| 13. | Zong & Batalova (2019) | Policy Paper | Veterans | This policy paper produced by the Migration Policy Institute gave statistics on foreign-born veterans using census data. The authors found that foreign-born veterans were doing better in most census categories compared to native-born veterans. Nonveteran foreign-born, however, were not doing better than nonveteran native-born. About three percent of all veterans in the U.S. are foreign-born. There has been a one percent increase in foreign-born veteran representation since 1995. Eighty-three percent of foreign-born veterans in 2018 were naturalized. Foreign-born veterans were younger, held a higher percentage of the civilian labor force and had higher income when compared to native-born veterans. Finally, a higher percentage of foreign-born veterans held at least a bachelor’s degree compared to native-born veterans. |