For now, Army suspends discharges of migrant recruits

WASHINGTON » The U.S. Army has stopped discharging immigrant recruits who enlisted seeking a path to citizenship — at least temporarily.

A memo shared with The Associated Press spells out orders to highranking Army officials to stop processing discharges of men and women who enlisted in the special immigrant program.

“Effective immediately, you will suspend processing of all involuntary separation actions,” read the memo, signed July 20 by Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Marshall Williams. The disclosure came after the AP reported that dozens of immigrant enlistees were being discharged or had their contracts cancelled. Some said they were given no reason for their discharge. Others said the Army informed them they’d been labeled as security risks because they have relatives abroad or the Defense Department had not completed background checks.