SHOW ISSUE SURROUNDING HOW I.C.E. HANDLES VETS WHO ARE NOT
U.S. CITIZENS.
U.S. CITIZENS. >> SO A NEW FEDERAL WASHTCH DOG
REPORT LOOKED AT THE DEPORTATION
OF VETS WHO AREN’T CITIZENS.
>> Reporter: SHEPEOPLE HERE IN
TIJUANA MEXICO ARE NON-CITIZEN
VETERANS ARE FINDING THEMSELVES
DEPORTED.
DEPORTED. >> I DECIDED TO GO THROUGH IT
AND SEE WHAT THE GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE FOUND.
NON-CITIZENS CAN SERVE IN THE
U.S. MILITARY.
U.S. MILITARY. IN FACT, IT’S LONG BEEN A FAST
TRACK TOWARDS CITIZENSHIP FOR A
NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS.
BETWEEN 2013 AND 2018, MORE THAN
44,000 NON-CITIZENS ENLISTED IN
THE MILITARY ACCORDING TO
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DATA.
THAT’S BECOMING LESS AND LESS
THE CASE.
THE CASE. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT,
APPLICATIONS FOR NATURALIZATION
HAVE DECLINED SHORTLY SINCE
PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK OFFICE
BECAUSE OF A NUMBER OF NEW
POLICIES THAT’S MADE IT HARDER
FOR NON-CITIZENS TO JOIN THE
MILITARY.
MILITARY. I.C.E. ALREADY HAS POLICIES IN
PLACE TO PROTECT VETERANS WHO
MAY BE SUBJECT TO DEPORTATION.
IT’S JUST THEY HAVEN’T BIBEEN
FULLY FOLLOWING THEM.
IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS
ENFORCEMENT, QUOTE, DOES NOT
KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY VETERANS
HAVE BEEN PLACED IN REMOVAL
PROCEEDINGS OR REMOVED.
OR IF THEIR CASES HAVE BEEN
HANDLED ACCORDING TO I.C.E.’S
POLICIES.
POLICIES. FIRST, WHAT ARE THESE POLICIES?
I.C.E. REQUIRES WHEN AGENTS AND
OFFICERS ENCOUNTER A VETERAN WHO
THEY BELIEVE MAY BE DEPORTABLE,
THEY MUST CONDUCT ADDITIONAL
ASSESSMENTS THAT TAKE THE
PERSON’S SERVICE HISTORY INTO
ACCOUNT.
ACCOUNT. THAT INCLUDES FACTORS LIKE TIME
IN SERVICE, MILITARY AWARDS, AND
DEPLOYMENT.
DEPLOYMENT. BUT HERE’S THE THING.
ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, I.C.E.
DOES NOT CONSISTENTLY ADHERE TO
THE POLICIES AND DOES NOT
CONSISTENTLY IDENTIFY AND TRACK
THE VETERANS.
THE VETERANS. G.A.O. FOUND THAT I.C.E.L. PLACE
250 VETERANS IN CUSTODY OVER THE
PAST FIVE YEARS.
THAT NUMBER COULD BE HIGHER
BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE A PROPER
SYSTEM FOR TRACKING VETS.
ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, QUOTE,
NONE OF THE THREE COMPONENTS WHO
ENCOUNTER VETERANS MAINTAIN
ELECTRONIC DATA ON THE VETERANS
THEY IDENTIFY.
THEY IDENTIFY. POLICY ALSO REQUIRES OFFICERS TO
GET HIGHER UP APPROVAL, BUT YET
THE REPORT FOUND FOR THE NEARLY
90 VETS THAT WERE DEPORTED FROM
2013 TO 2018, AGENTS FAILED TO
GET THE REQUIRED MANAGEMENT
APPROVAL IN 21% OF THEIR CASES.
AND THEY ALSO FAILED TO ELEVATE
CASES TO HEADQUARTERS FOR 70% OF
THOSE THAT REQUIRED IT.
AND WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE
POLICIES, OFFICIALS SAID THEY
WERE, QUOTE, UNAWARE OF THE
POLICIES UNTIL THE GAO REVE.
SO THE REPORT WAS COMMISSIONED
BY FOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN
2017.
2017. AMONG THEM, A CALIFORNIA
DEMOCRAT WHO CHAIRS THE HOUSE
VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
HE WROTE A LETTER TO I.C.E.
DEMANDING CHANGES.
DEMANDING CHANGES. OF THIS LATER SHE SAID, QUOTE,
WE CANNOT ALLOW NON-CITIZEN
VETERANS TO FALL THROUGH THE
CRACKS OF OUR BROKEN IMMIGRATION
SYSTEM.
SYSTEM. THE WATCH DOG RECOMMENDED THAT
I.C.E. MAKE THE FOLLOWING
CHANGES, INCLUDING BUILDING AN
ELECTRONIC DATABASE OF VETERANS
IN DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS AND
TAKING STEPS TO INSURE THAT
OFFICERS ARE PROPERLY
IDENTIFYING AND DOCUMENTING WHEN
AN IMMIGRANT THEY ENCOUNTER IS A
VETERAN.
VETERAN. SO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY AGREED WITH THE GAO’S
FINDINGS TO, QUOTE, DEVELOP A
POLICY OR REVISE ITS CURRENT
POLICIES TO IDENTIFY AND
DOCUMENT VETERANS AND TO COLLECT