Currently there is a lot of discussion on both immigration and military strength. Rather than focus on building walls, why aren't we building recruiting stations on the border with Mexico? It seems like an obvious solution, if a family wants to come to this country then at least one member that family joins a US military branch.

Currently there is a lot of discussion on both immigration and military strength. Rather than focus on building walls, why aren't we building recruiting stations on the border with Mexico? It seems like an obvious solution, if a family wants to come to this country then at least one member that family joins a US military branch.
Asked by: Gabriel Whalen from Fort Belvoir, VA

Asked of All U.S. Congress on Apr 29th, 2008

Categories: Defense · Immigration.

Answer from: U.S. Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-TX)

Well, which is really interesting, because you already have many non-citizens serving today. I believe the first soldier who died in Iraq was a non-citizen, someone that illegally immigrated to California, he was an orphan and then joined the Marines and died. I know that we have non-citizens from San Antonio that have died, because actually their funerals took place in Mexico. So you already have that going on to be honest with you. But, no, I don’t think that’s going to be one of these solutions- that if you want to come over here, you join our armed services. You join our armed services because of the love of our country and what it represents. That’s your only motivation, there is nothing back there- whether you are a citizen, non-citizen or whatever it is, you just have to genuinely believe and have that in your heart. We have incentives, which we understand. But this would not be something of a carrot that we would hold out and that way we would plus up our military. That’s not the way we do that. I understand what this particular individual is advocating, but it probably would not be workable.

Answered on May 8th, 2008