New 'Fight for the American Dream Act' Opens Military Service to DACA Recipients, Modernizes Path to Citizenship

The “Fight for the American Dream Act” is a piece of legislation aimed at updating who can serve in the U.S. military and how service members can become citizens. Essentially, this bill is doing two big things: expanding the enlistment pool and streamlining the naturalization process for those who serve.

Opening the Door for DACA Recipients

For years, there’s been a debate about allowing individuals protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy to serve. Section 2 of this Act provides a clear answer. If you are a DACA recipient and hold a valid Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you would now be considered a “qualified person” to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces, provided you meet all the other standard requirements. This is a significant change because it directly expands the pool of eligible recruits, allowing a specific group of non-citizens who grew up here and possess work authorization to join the military. For a young person with DACA, this bill offers a new, tangible pathway to serve and potentially gain citizenship.

Modernizing the Military Path to Citizenship

Section 3 tackles the bureaucracy of military naturalization, and honestly, it’s a much-needed clean-up. The bill completely scraps Section 328 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. While that might sound dramatic, it’s part of a larger effort to modernize the rules. The focus shifts entirely to an updated Section 329, which governs how service members become citizens.

They are clarifying the eligibility requirements in Section 329, making the language much more precise about what kind of military service counts. They are updating the title to clearly state it covers service in the Selected Reserve or active-duty status. They’re replacing vague service descriptions with a clearer definition: service counts if the person is in an active status, which includes the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve or active duty, and meets specific separation requirements (SEC. 3).

This modernization is crucial for non-citizen service members. If you’re currently serving in the military, this bill aims to make your path to citizenship less confusing by using clearer definitions and removing outdated legal language. Instead of navigating a maze of old statutes, the process should become more straightforward, focusing on verifiable active service. This is a practical win for recruitment and retention, offering a clearer benefit to those who put on the uniform.