Bipartisan Effort to Support Military Spouses Becoming US Citizens

Strategic Insights -

U.S. Representatives Marilyn Strickland and Maria Salazar reintroduced the Ensuring Security for Military Spouses Act, a bill aimed at eliminating the 90-day state residency requirement for spouses of active-duty servicemembers who apply for naturalization. The legislation seeks to support green card-holding military spouses who want to become U.S. citizens, ensuring fairness and flexibility in meeting the demands of military service and immigration policy.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires lawful permanent residents to reside for at least 90 days within the state in which they file their naturalization application, which can adversely impact military spouses required to move on short notice.
  • The Ensuring Security for Military Spouses Act would create parity for spouses of active-duty servicemembers stationed at home and abroad, allowing them to meet the residency requirement more flexibly.
  • The bill has the support of the National Immigration Forum and aims to address recruitment and retention issues in the military.
  • Military spouses are often required to relocate quickly due to their servicemember spouse's orders, making it difficult to meet the 90-day residency requirement.
  • Currently, lawful permanent resident spouses of servicemembers stationed abroad are exempt from the single state residency requirement.

Statistics:

  • 90 days: the minimum time lawful permanent residents must reside within a state before filing a naturalization application.
  • The Ensuring Security for Military Spouses Act aims to support green card-holding military spouses who want to become U.S. citizens, with the goal of addressing recruitment and retention issues in the military.
  • The National Immigration Forum has expressed its support for the bill, highlighting the need for fairness and flexibility in immigration policy for military spouses.

Sources:

  • United States House of Representatives
  • Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10)
  • Congresswoman Maria Salazar (FL-27)