Some 800 troops whose military service was put in limbo after President Donald Trump ended the so-called Dreamers program will not be deported, according to Defense Secretary James Mattis.
Mattis told reporters Thursday he has finalized an agreement with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to place the military's "Dreamers" in a protected status, Military Times reported.
"Anyone who is in the delayed enlistment program – in other words, they are already signed up and they are waiting to go into boot camp – anyone on active duty, and anyone in the active reserves, and anyone with an honorable discharge is, right now, except for two possible exceptions, they will not be subject to any kind of deportation," the Pentagon chief said.
"The only two exceptions would be if for some reason they have committed a serious felony, and I realize even a low-level felony apparently does not put you in that category . . . that could jeopardize them. They are just like any other citizen," he declared.
The other exception would be "if a federal judge has signed a final order of deportation — that would be a judicial action that obviously we obey," Mattis said.
Mattis added it was his understanding military service members who were among those illegal immigrants whose parents brought them to America as children never had to worry.
"They're protected," he said.
And he predicted the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, will live on.
"I think that it is not coming to an end right now either," Mattis said. "You can sign up right now, as I understand," referring to a federal court order to resume accepting DACA applicants.
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