Proposal to ban illegal immigrants from military fails in House

WASHINGTON, June 17 (UPI) -- A proposal to ban undocumented immigrants from joining the U.S. military failed in the House by one vote.

House members voted 210-211 Thursday to reject the amendment by Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., to the annual defense spending bill. His aim was to close what he called a "backdoor amnesty program" created by President Barack Obama without approval from Congress.

A second measure offered by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, was also defeated, 207-214, as around 30 centrist Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the two amendments.

The measures would have prohibited the use of federal money to enlist young illegal immigrants who have been granted work permits under Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Certain young illegal immigrants qualify for DACA if they came to the United States as minors and have worked toward high school graduation.

Gosar said the Pentagon confirmed to his office that it had recruited 141 DACA recipients as of April through a program, Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest, that allows immigrants with valued foreign language or medical skills to serve in the military.

Democrats sought to tie the provisions to the immigration stance of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

"Clearly, House Republicans are taking their anti-immigrant cues from Donald Trump," said Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., chairman of House Democrats' campaign arm.

"They come here in the spirit of Donald Trump," Rep. Joaquín Castro, D-Texas, said of the House GOP. "What we're seeing with these amendments is part of a larger pattern of hostility toward Hispanic Americans on the part of the Republican Party."

King said the Obama administration was using MAVNI as a way to grant "blanket amnesty" for young undocumented immigrants.

Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., an Iraq War veteran, argued that the military should be able to recruit anyone who could help the nation.

"Simply put, we shouldn't let political posturing stand in the way of our military's requirement goals," Gallego said.