1st Class Soldiers, 2nd Class Citizens

When Alex Jimenez first went missing during his term in Iraq, there was an outpouring of support, prayers, and vigils from the community and from around the country. Letters of solidarity and prayer and admiration flooded into the Jimenez household, all praising Jimenez as a national hero and a soldier of the highest merit.

To those who have followed his story, the latest turn of events will come as a shock. Jimenez’s wife, Yaderlin, whom he married in 2004, is under investigation by the U.S. immigration authorities and may be deported.

That Jimenez’s wife may be deported from the county her husband fought and possibly died for sends the unmistakable message that although the United States is more than happy to recruit Latinos to fight their battles overseas, they do not want them to participate on equal footing domestically. The treatment of immigrants in the U.S. Army harkens back to the times when Blacks were overrepresented to fight the First and Second World Wars and the Vietnam War, and yet denied many of the civil rights they were fighting and dying to defend.

At first blush, the statistics regarding Latinos in the military seem to point to an under-representation. However, when examined more closely, “they are overrepresented when compared to the civilian labor force of the appropriate age that possesses both the necessary educational credentials and immigration status (Pew Hispanic Center, Fact Sheet, 2003).”

The reasons that draw high numbers of Latinos into the U.S. military stem from a strong sense of patriotism and desire to serve the United States, as well as a hope that through serving in the military they will obtain U.S. citizenship. National Pride and a sense of Americanism are strong among the Latino population and “[Latinos] have won more medals of honor than any other ethnic group and … make up nearly ten percent of the active duty enlisted force.” (LULAC News, 2003)

Despite these noble and patriotic reasons for joining the U.S. military force, “most non-citizens are ineligible for promotions within the military, which means they often remain on the front lines … and do not have the right to vote [at home]” (LULAC News, 2003) Latinos in the U.S. military are unable to participate fully in the country that they are fighting and dying to defend. It is ironic that while fighting to bring a just democracy to Iraq, these soldiers find no just democracy at home.

The United States must seriously rethink the way its military recruitment practices conflict with its immigration policies. If a soldier of the U.S. Army is in the position to give their lives for this country, it should be assumed that they should also be given citizenship with out delay or complications. Furthermore, we must keep the well being of these soldiers’ families in mind. When someone goes to war it is not just their sacrifice, but their family’s as well. Military benefits for veterans and their families have been stark and unsatisfactory for those fighting in the Iraqi War. For families of immigrant service men and women these hardships are compounded, as the application process for citizenship can oftentimes be slow. Many immigrants who have served in the war have been unable to obtain citizenship, or more tragically, obtain their citizenship posthumously. This means that not only are immigrants not eligible for all the benefits given to non-immigrant service men, family members of immigrant soldiers can be denied the right to simply remain in the country their family member fought and died to protect.

This was written for Advancement Project’s Blog www.justdemocracyblog.org

by Clare Bakota