According to a press release earlier this month, a new bill introduced by Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) and Rep. John James (R-MI) would use "qualified and vetted migrants" to help offset the military's current recruiting shortfalls. Considered "a pilot program," the Courage to Serve Act would offer migrants "an expedited path to citizenship in exchange for military service."
American Family News spoke to national security expert Bob Maginnis, a former U.S. Army intelligence officer, about the legislation. Like the authors of the bill, Maginnis is also a West Point graduate. For him, the current language of the proposed bill is somewhat concerning.
For example: To be eligible for the expedited path to citizenship, a migrant would be required to successfully complete a background investigation. Maginnis points out that "a background check on some immigrants would be hard to do."
The program would also require migrants be "admissible to the United States." Maginnis tells AFN he does not favor "someone who enters the country illegally" – and he suggests the language of the bill should go a step further, stating that the immigrants are "legally admissible."
Maginnis also questions the meaning of "otherwise eligible for enlistment in the Armed Forces." What are the required physical, psychological, and mental criteria to enlist, he wonders. "I would like to see a lot more detail than what they've provided," he adds.
An issue of readiness
The former Army officer doesn't question the intentions of the legislators behind the bill.
"I think John James and Pat Ryan are well intended, trying to take advantage of all these immigrants coming into country," he explains, "but pushing them into the ranks isn't necessarily something the military needs. We don't need cannon fodder; what we need are reasonably well-educated, motivated, dedicated, and honest people in the military."
Chinese migrants, for example, are coming to the border in record numbers, raising concerns that some may have ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
"While there are a lot of people of Asian descent who are serving faithfully and patriotically in the Armed Forces, there are immigrants coming from China whose loyalties might be suspect," Maginnis warns. "If there are less-than-desirable people in this group, then the result will be a diminishment of our overall readiness in the Armed Forces."
The blame belongs to Biden
With readiness on the brink of disaster, Maginnis is extremely concerned about the recruiting crisis. "Unfortunately," he admits, "it's self-inflicted by the Biden administration."
The Gateway Pundit recently reported that, according to a survey of 229 service members, Biden has been deemed "the greatest threat to the nation." Maginnis argues that the Biden administration has "discouraged" the people who are "the most likely demographic to serve" in the military. Those are the people of "the Red states" and the Christian community, he say.
"While these people have a proclivity to serve, the Blue states and people with non-religious backgrounds are not nearly as patriotic," he notes.
Apart from demographics, he says, "Leftists who are within the Biden administration have completely relegated their responsibility over the Armed Forces." Pointing to the blatant celebration of homosexuality and transgenderism in the military, he contends "social engineering" has become a priority of the administration.
