Posted on 12/03/2007 5:58:39 PM PST by tyen
A highly decorated Arab-American sergeant in the US army, who is currently serving as a paratrooper in Afghanistan, faces deportation on his return to the United States because of an irregularity in his immigration papers.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
I don’t know about this particular case, but I agree with you. They absolutely revel in letting millions of illegals swarm over the border, while they spend years going after innocent people who have failed to fulfill some legal technicality.
Their favorite activity is kicking out widows and children after the husband has died, but this case sounds typical, too. I used to think it was bureaucratic incompetence, but now I think they do it on purpose.
I would like to know what the “irregularities” are first but deportation seems pretty harsh from the little I know about this.
Back in the 1800’s, you served in the military for two years, you automatically became a citizen.
He is a Muslim with some issues with his immigration record, if we don’t fully go through the process after discovering him in our elite forces, then what are we doing?
I know....that's probably not possible.I say be on the safe side and deport him.
Phony marriage.You've gotta admit that the Religion of Pieces just might try to plant an operative here (through a phony marriage,for example) and then have that plant serve in the Armed Forces and,either during his service or after his discharge,use the connections he's developed and the knowledge he's gained to do us serious harm.
We have no way of being sure that that's the case with this guy but you *must* admit that it's something they might try.
On the other hand we might try to give the guy a reason to hate America and send him home to make new friends, only to report back to us.
Most bureaucrats are, by the very nature of their careers, liberals and leftists. That immigrant who volunteered to defend America as a soldier is much more a threat to their vision of what they think America should be than a thousand illegals.
That's certainly possible.So I guess the question is...how can he hurt us more? While living here as a citizen (or with a Green Card) or in some I Slam hellhole?
If that is so then he will be just about as harmful over seas as here.
Yes, it is possible. You can be a permanent resident your entire life and not qualify to apply for citizenship. Usually, that invovles a criminal record, but there are other disqualifying factors.
Benkabbou came to the US from his native Morocco in 1987, and was granted permanent residency four years ago. But when he applied to become a naturalised US citizen in 2005 - by which time he was already serving in the army - immigration officials discovered that he had failed to register his first marriage and alleged that the ceremony had been arranged fraudulently to get him into the country.
Benkabbou says that the marriage was annulled and argues it is therefore irrelevant to his immigration status. "I do not think I deserve to get deported after serving honourably during a time of war!" he wrote in an email from Afghanistan.
(snip)
I'm curious to know whom the bride might be ... and what's Benkabbou doing in Afghanistan, anyway?
Honestly, I can’t think of anyone more deserving of citizenship than those who have served in the military. The fact that they aren’t even citizens, but are willing to fight and die for this country should put people on the fast track to citizenship. We’d be better off deporting the old draft dodgers from the 60’s than this guy.
Duhhhh ,,... he’s still in the Army ... try to forget what an idiot I am for not seeing that.
Andrew Sullivan is a Permanent Resident, but disqualified from citizenship because he has HIV, to pick one example.
Though, in this case, I think that any irregularities can be fairly overlooked. He’s been here since 1987 (as a child, I assume, given his present rank and career). He’s seemingly been vetted and all of that.
right, and he will come out of this thing OK -an administrative matter that needs to be worked thru.
probably not even a worthy news story
Can't agree with you there.Living here legally...perhaps as a citizen....perhaps serving in the Armed Forces (or at least having learned much while serving) he could do enormous harm.
Doesn't a situation involving a young guy who follows the Profit (misspelled intentionally) gaining entry into this country by means of a phony marriage bother you at all? Have you forgotten the foreign born muslim doctors in England who bombed that English airport?
Good question.
...and what's Benkabbou doing in Afghanistan, anyway?
He's serving in the Army according to the story.
I’m with you. Let him stay here but keep an eye on him.
Ordinarily,I'd agree.But gaining entry into the US via a phony marriage + Religion of Pieces=potential trouble,IMO!
The fact that they aren’t even citizens, but are willing to fight and die for this country should put people on the fast track to citizenship.
Again,I'd agree with you ordinarily.But I don't know about you but I can easily see a scenario where the Religion of Pieces plants an operative in the US,has him join the US Army and then use what he learns while serving to hurt us somewhere down the line.
We’d be better off deporting the old draft dodgers from the 60’s than this guy.
Deporting the 60's draft dodgers *would* be fun.But then DNC Headquarters would look like a ghost town.
I agree.
What elite force is he in?
Most of those in the 1800’s were deserters from the Limey army, we paid better.
508th parachute infantry regiment, known as the Red Devils
Unless you are advocating a complete and utter ban on all those things, you have to admit that this guy is probably a pretty good candidate for citizenship, considering he has been here for 20 years, and his commanding officers seem to want to go to bat for him.
A guy who served in combat ought not be subjected to these hassles. There are illegal aliens who sneaked across the border and got into fake marriages, and are still getting naturalized. An exception ought to be made for cases like this.
April 2005 story - DefendAmerica News - Red Devil Troops Patrol Area and Attitudes
Company A, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, US Army.
Airborne
Also, paras are by definition elite.
“Immigration bureaucrats actively deny local efforts to enforce flagrant
illegal immigration, but go after decorated, vetted paras.”
All I can see is that ICE and other entities charged with protecting
our borders are simply carrying out the wishes of Dubya and plenty
of the US Senators.
Too bad we can’t fire the grand poobahs of ICE and Co.
And let a REAL man take over the job.
(the sheriff in the linked article)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1933571/posts
“Immigration bureaucrats actively deny local efforts to enforce flagrant
illegal immigration, but go after decorated, vetted paras.”
All I can see is that ICE and other entities charged with protecting
our borders are simply carrying out the wishes of Dubya and plenty
of the US Senators.
Too bad we can’t fire the grand poobahs of ICE and Co.
And let a REAL man take over the job.
(the sheriff in the linked article)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1933571/posts
“Back in the 1800’s, you served in the military for two years,
you automatically became a citizen.”
IIRC, one poster on FR said that his father got accelerated US citizenship
by serving honorably in WWII.
No,I don't *know* any such thing.It is *possible* that he's a good candidate for citizenship just as it's possible that he's not.His length of residency means little in light of the possibility that he could have become "radicalized" at some point...perhaps fairly recently.And a genuine sense of dedication to the US...to 21st Century civilization is just one possible explanation for his service.
In short,I say why take a chance? If this guy was an Arab Christian my attitude would be very different.But I freely admit that in my mind,a muslim is *always* "guilty" until proven innocent.And I apologize to no-one for that attitude.
Are you *absolutely* sure that that's what would happen? You're not *all* bothered by the fact that he first gained entry into the US by a ***phony marriage***? That doesn't cause alarm bells to ring in your head?
Unless I’m missing something here, this is terrible. The guy should be taken care of, has honorably served the nation.
If you get an update, please ping me?
That may have been so at one time but paratroopers are now a couple of rungs down the ladder from elite.
He is at a great risk of being killed by the terrorists if he goes back to Morocco. Are you willing to send a man for a potential death at the hand of terrorists after he put his life at risk fighting for the USA?
We do not know when his current enlistment ends.
Can he be "touched" while on Active duty?? If not just re-enlist and stay for 20 years and military retirement.
Then...??...??
I'll wager that an order from the INS would trump any DoD enlistment....unless,perhaps,the Commander-in-Chief becomes involved.
I believe he could very well be a plant...but am not certain.But in these circumstances I say deport him...just to be on the safe side.
He is at a great risk of being killed by the terrorists if he goes back to Morocco.
Not if he's a plant.
Are you willing to send a man for a potential death at the hand of terrorists after he put his life at risk fighting for the USA?
Under these circumstances,yes.
WOW!!! I think we do not need to argue anymore, there is no value of arguing.
He’s American enough for me. Let’s keep him.
One man, even if he is some sort of sleeper, can’t hurt our cause as much as deporting a brave and honorable man can.
Yes, mistakes are possible, just look at the Lebanese woman in the FBI and CIA, but really, I'm sure al-Qaeda can hire an ex-spetsnaz guy to train them as well. It's going to happen, and some people will spy against or betray their country, even if they were born and raised in America. Now am I arguing some guy fresh off the boat should from Saudi Arabia should be let into the military and get citizenship? No of course not. But for this guy, 20 years in the US, no problems, and a Sergeant in the Army to boot? He gets a pass from me.
Army Chaplain - Faith Distinctive
Army Chaplains are expected to observe the distinctive doctrines of their faith while also honoring the right of others to observe their own faith. The Army is a pluralistic environment. Rabbis, Ministers, Imams and Priests serve our Soldiers with conviction and commitment. While serving their own faith groups in the Army, chaplains also ensure and provide the means for others to observe their own faith in accordance with US law and regulations.
Me thinks he could apply for the Army Chaplain Corps.
What say to that, Gay State Conservative.
Like I said before, if his superiors are willing to go to bat for him, I think they have a pretty good idea of what this guy is made of, and we should support them in their efforts to avoid having this guy deported
Deport him.
Not necessarily *all* muslims.But the ones who engaged in marriage fraud in order to gain admission to the US...no citizenship...and no residency.
You're saying that none of the Iraqis that put their asses on the line, put their own families in grave risk by acting as interpreters for US troops should have been given asylum?
I understand that there have been at least a few such people...and maybe more than a few.Those people....*assuming that they've never violated US law*...just might be worthy of receiving asylum.
Your saying that no muslim, no matter what he has done for this country should allowed to become a US citizen?
I'm saying that any muslim who's engaged in marriage fraud to gain entry into this country is suspect....*very* suspect...IMO.Regardless of what he/she might have done for this country.No citizenship...no residency....for any such muslim.Or for any such person.
I agree that if someone uses a sham marriage to gain access, they should ordinarily be deported. I just think that in this case, the statute of limitations should have LONG since expired. On top of that, I think he’s since proven his love and dedication to this country by going to war for it. Nothing sets off alarm bells for me, the fake marriage just shows he wanted to become an American at all costs. Is that the right way to go about things? No, but I think he has more than made up for it.
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