Citizenship for Veterans

It is ironic that “INS Sued Over Plan to Revoke Pre-’77 Green Cards” would appear on Veterans Day, the same day that the names on the Vietnam War Memorial were being read aloud. Few people realize how many immigrants’ names are on that wall. Any male over age 18 and in this country was draftable during the Vietnam War. How many non-U.S. citizens died in that war?

My brother, who had moved from Canada with our family in 1960, joined the U.S. Air Force in 1965 and served four years, including one year in Vietnam. When he tried to apply for U.S. citizenship, he was told to go to the end of the line. There was no policy for conferring American citizenship on these “aliens” who had served their country in wartime.

This is an injustice that should be rectified. Many veterans have “pre-’77” green cards. Why aren’t these veterans given U.S. citizenship automatically? They are good enough to die for America, but not worthy of being American citizens.

SALLY W. STOFFEL

Solana Beach