Migration Policy Institute Releases Comprehensive Data on Foreign Born Serving in the U.S. Armed Forces

Washington, D.C. (July 07, 2003) – With United States troops still deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq and now possibly Liberia, the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), the nation’s leading think tank dedicated to studying the movement of people worldwide, releases comprehensive data on the foreign born serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

“The data show that many of the largest immigrant groups serving in the U.S. military represent countries where the United States has had long-term military presence, such as the Philippines, Korea, Vietnam, and Germany,” says Elizabeth Grieco, data manager for MPI’s Migration Information Source. “The higher participation rates of foreign-born groups from countries such as Mexico and Jamaica are probably due to the proximity of those countries to the United States. Traditionally, immigrants join the military for the opportunity to learn a trade, to gain work experience, and as a way to advance economically.”  

The data indicate that more than 68,000 immigrants now serve in the U.S. armed forces, which is just under 5 percent of the 1.4 million men and women on active duty. More than half are naturalized citizens, meaning though they were born outside of the United States, they are now U.S. citizens. 

“Immigrants have served in the U.S. armed forces throughout the history of this country, so the foreign born in the military is not a new phenomenon,” says Demetrios G. Papademetriou, co-director of MPI. “In fact, during the Civil War, approximately 25 percent of the Union and 9 percent of the Confederate armies were foreign-born soldiers. Comparatively, the number of foreign born now on active military duty is quite small.”

Foreign-born members of the U.S. military can apply for U.S. citizenship without the mandatory five-year waiting period. The naturalization process typically takes eight to 10 months from the time an application is submitted until the oath of citizenship is taken.