Military Service Bill Creates Fast-Track Citizenship, Gives Deported Veterans a Green Card Lifeline

The Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2025 is a major overhaul aimed at fixing the system for noncitizen veterans and active service members. At its core, this bill creates a path for noncitizens serving in the military to apply for U.S. citizenship on their very first day of active duty. It also establishes new systems within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to track noncitizen veterans and gives the DHS Secretary the power to grant lawful permanent residence (a green card) to veterans who have already been deported.

The Fast Track to Citizenship: Day One Eligibility

If you’re a noncitizen who signs up for the Armed Forces, this bill changes the game completely. Under current law, getting citizenship through military service can be a complicated process. Section 5 streamlines this by allowing eligible noncitizens to apply for naturalization immediately—on day one of their active duty or Selected Reserve service. This eligibility is tied to service during periods designated by the President as involving fighting a hostile foreign force. The Department of Defense (DoD) is also now required to issue the necessary certification for citizenship within 30 days of a request, cutting down on bureaucratic delays that used to sideline service members.

To make sure recruits know their rights, Section 6 mandates that every Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) must have a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) expert or a specially trained DoD staff member available. Their sole job is to explain the citizenship process to every noncitizen recruit. This means no more guessing games or relying on incomplete information; the path to citizenship is now part of the enlistment briefing.

A Second Chance for Deported Vets

Perhaps the most significant change addresses veterans who were removed from the U.S. after their service. Section 7 grants the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to grant lawful permanent resident (LPR) status to a veteran who has a final removal order. Essentially, if you served, DHS can bring you back and give you a green card, provided you don't have certain serious convictions (like specific terrorism or major aggravated felony offenses).

This isn't a free pass, though. The Secretary has to look at how much the veteran served and how serious any offense was that made them deportable in the first place. Notably, the bill specifically bars the Secretary from granting this waiver if the veteran has five or more convictions for driving while intoxicated (DWI) within the last 25 years. If a veteran is granted LPR status under this section, they are automatically presumed to have the 'good moral character' needed for future citizenship applications.

New Oversight and Tracking for Removal Cases

To prevent future removals of veterans, the bill creates two major administrative hurdles for DHS. First, Section 3 requires DHS to build a new tracking system for noncitizen veterans. Before starting any deportation proceedings, DHS must use this system to check if the individual is or might be a veteran. If they are, the case information must be flagged and considered during the immigration decision-making process.

Second, Section 4 establishes the Military Family Immigration Advisory Committee. This nine-member panel, appointed by the DHS Secretary, will review removal cases involving service members, veterans, and their immediate family members (spouses and children). When a case is referred, the committee reviews it within 30 days and recommends to the Secretary whether to stop the deportation using discretionary relief (like a stay of removal). Crucially, DHS cannot remove the person until the Secretary receives the committee's recommendation. However, if the person has a conviction for a serious felony (as defined in INA Section 101(a)(43)), they are ineligible for the committee's review.

Help for Military Families

Finally, Section 8 provides a much-needed break for the immediate relatives (spouses and children) of U.S. citizen service members or veterans. If the U.S. citizen served honorably for at least two years, their immediate relative who is adjusting status in the U.S. is treated as if they were legally inspected and admitted upon entry. This is a technical but powerful provision that removes several common roadblocks—like having entered without inspection—that often prevent family members from completing their green card process without leaving the country.