The House Armed Services Committee approved an amendment to the FY2016 National Defense Authorization Act from Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) to allow illegal immigrants into the U.S. military.
Unsurprisingly, supporters couch the giveaway in language like saying enlisting illegal immigrants is “vital to the national interest.”
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) is one of the few members of Congress who opposes Gallego’s “amnesty amendment.”
“It makes no sense to me that, at the same time the Army is downsizing and issuing pink slips to American soldiers serving in Afghanistan, there are Congressmen who help illegal aliens deprive American citizens of military service opportunities,” Brooks, who serves on House Armed Services Committee, said.
The NDAA with the Gallego amendment passed the House Armed Services Committee by a 60-2 count.
“It’s appalling that some members of the Republican conference, and frankly all members of the Democratic conference, place illegal immigrants on pedestals over American citizens, contrary to the needs and wishes of the American people,” he said.
“I cannot speak for other Washington elected officials but, as for me, I was elected to protect and promote the interests of Americans, not illegal aliens,” he said. “As such, I will continue my fight to put Americans first as we work to remove Rep. Gallego’s language from the NDAA prior to House passage.”
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) also expressed dismay over the inclusion of the Gallego language as part of the 2016 NDAA.
“This policy would provide a fast track to citizenship for those accepted into a program Congress has voted to defund three times,” King said Thursday.
“It is incomprehensible that any House Committee would encourage using DACA to expand the President’s amnesty agenda further. It is even more disappointing as the NDAA is a bill designed to keep this nation safe from its enemies at a time of war, not about granting citizenship to illegal immigrants,” he said.
The 2016 NDAA legislation now heads to the House floor where King and Brooks will have to work hard to have the Gallego amendment pulled.
