Opinion: Thanks to immigrant veterans
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The Cato Institute’s Stuart Anderson takes time this Veterans Day to remember the contributions of immigrants to the American military (thanks to the Immigration Law Prof Blog for the link):
Immigrants have received the Medal of Honor in every war since the medal was first established. To receive it, a recipient must risk his life, the bravery of his act must be considered beyond the call of duty and distinguished from other acts, and at least two eyewitnesses must have observed the act and provide incontestable evidence that it occurred.More than 20 percent (over 700) of the Congressional Medal of Honor recipients in U.S. wars have been immigrants.
The San Francisco Chronicle notes the contribution of Latino immigrants in WWII in particular (a major point of contention earlier this year when Ken Burns’ PBS documentary on WWII all but omitted their record of service). And Army Times reports that today, 178 soldiers in Iraq gained their citizenship.
Of course, some can’t stop the nativism, even for a day.