Muhammad Zahid Chaudhry, a decorated disabled American veteran, is the victim of a witch hunt that has been ongoing since the 9/11 attacks. Chaudhry is being deported to Pakistan, where he will “inevitably be murdered by the Taliban for his service in the US Army,” says Seth Manzel, executive director of G.I. Voice. Chaudhry came to the US legally over 13 years ago and has been married to a native-born citizen for nearly ten years. The suit Chaudhry and his wife filed against the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in US district court to press for his citizenship was dismissed on October 26, 2010, on summary judgment, without any trial or opportunity to further present their circumstances.
Chaudhry qualifies for citizenship on multiple bases, and there are no legal grounds to deny him citizenship. He qualified for and filed an application to become a US citizen under the military naturalization program in 2003. INS claimed they lost the application, so he applied again in 2004. The military naturalization program requires the US government to provide expedited processing for citizenship applications for individuals in the armed forces. Chaudhry’s military awards include a National Defense Service Medal, a Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, an Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device and the Army Service Ribbon.
Found by ECA.
#19 O’Really – I’m far too lazy to go back and reread the article but, if I recall with any accuracy at all, he was injured during BCT and, so didn’t serve long enough to get any other decorations. Odd that he was not fit for duty but okay for years of service in the Reserves.
I, too, was surprised they mentioned the ribbons he “earned” because, as you state, they essentially only mean you got through basic without any major errors like screwing the company dog. I don’t know what the M device means. Perhaps: Muslim??? (Joke, Moh!) Actually, I looked it up and it means mobilization. Doesn’t make much sense if he were injured in Basic that he would be called to active duty. But what do I know?
#21 Animby,
Good point! I always wonder how people get injured (not wounded) and are medically retired but then go into the National Guard or US Army Reserves.
#21: The reserve medal means 10 years service in the reserves, and the M device means a mobilization.
Most likely the writer doesn’t know the difference between the “participant” grade service ribbons and awards.
Something similar happened to a veteran in my state. Senator Tom Harkin gave up after a week of trying to help the veteran get his citizenship. When Senator Chuck Grassley heard about it, he spent four years to make sure the veteran got his citizenship.
This not only proves that Republicans care more about veterans, but it also says something about how it takes a sitting Senator four years to make any headway against the bureaucracy in this country. The bureaucracy should be able to be controlled by elected politicians. We need a much smaller government so they can be controlled by our elected officials.
# 24 Benjamin said, “We need a much smaller government so they can be controlled by our elected officials.”
“We need a much smaller government.” Fixed.
#17
do you THINK that every person in a gov. position IS ELECTED?
do you THINK the President HAND PICKS 10 million jobs? (yes 10 million)
24-25..
IT IS SMALLER..in the USA.
They have cut every corner and found tons to remove over the last 14 years. but, its the SMALL FISH. All you have left are the heads, who make good money. And the TAXES still paying for THINGS WE SHOULDNT.. LIKE money going to OIL CORPS to find new sources of OIL.
Foreign Mercenaries only get their board, equipment and missions.
All else is their problem.
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Don’t you just love stupid neocons and their witch hunts?
Ignorance of the law is no excuse, for us. But conveniently losing the paperwork, always works as bureaucracy’s excuse.