http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 284532.DTL
He was 10 when he immigrated to the United States from the Philippines, 20 when he joined the Marines, and 33 when he died fighting in Iraq for his adopted homeland.
Any day now, Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Menusa will receive in death the citizenship status that had eluded him in life.
Menusa's family received the news Thursday through a friend who said a White House liaison called to inform him that posthumous citizenship for the San Jose resident was imminent.
"I know how much he wants it -- wanted it," said his stepfather, Michael Kenny. "I feel like it's the least we can do, since he fought and died for the country he loved so much."
Menusa, whom Kenny described as "a full-blooded Marine," was a veteran of the 1991 Persian Gulf War and was deployed to Kuwait in February. He died March 27 after being shot near Nasiriya. He left behind a wife, Stacy, and 3- year-old son, Joshua, along with his expectations of a lifetime military career and hopes of one day becoming a full-fledged American.
For much of the past decade, he made repeated attempts with immigration officials to become a citizen, but was foiled by appointments that had to be missed while he was deployed or stationed far from home.
Eric Lachica, executive director of the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans Inc. in Washington, D.C., heard media reports of Menusa's death that detailed his struggles to become a citizen and offered to help his family. The family was thrilled.
"It struck me as kind of ironic that he made the final sacrifice for his country and yet his citizenship was not completed," Lachica said. "I thought this was a great thing we could do for him."
The paperwork to make Menusa's longtime dream a reality is possible because of an executive order signed by President Bush in July that has allowed three other noncitizen Marines killed in combat to receive the same honor. The executive order made provision for citizenship status to be bestowed upon military service people who die during combat, said Sharon Rummery, a spokeswoman with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The deaths of Menusa and the other noncitizen Marines has brought national attention to the numbers of foreign citizens serving in the armed forces. More than 30,000 legal permanent residents serve in the military, with more than 8,000 of them coming from California.
On Thursday, Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Bill Nelson, D-Fla., introduced legislation that would expedite the naturalization process for members of the armed forces who are legal permanent residents. The bill would require two years of military service, instead of three, to qualify for citizenship. It would waive fees and allow members to naturalize overseas.
In Menusa's case, Lachica contacted Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, to start the process. On Thursday, Lachica said he got the call from a White House liaison informing him that Menusa would soon be an official citizen.
"She assured me they can get the citizenship certificate to the widow, hopefully by the (time of the) funeral," he said.
Plans for Menusa's funeral are still being made, and it's likely that two memorials may be held -- one in Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County), where his wife and son are living, and another in Tracy, where his parents and extended family reside.
Menusa's wife was not available for comment, but his mother, Virginia Menusa, said Thursday his body arrived in Delaware earlier this week. It will be flown to Los Angeles within a week.
"It made me a little bit happy to hear that (his citizenship would be granted)," she said. "But it's sad, too, because he tried so hard before, when he was alive."
She said she also lives with deep fear about her younger son, David, who is a drill instructor in the Marines, being deployed.
"I am so scared for him, and I just can't afford to lose another one," she said. "I'm hoping he has time to get his citizenship before he has to go."
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My comments:
13 years a Marine, and you can be granted Citizenship in 3
years minimum....
Lord Vader, Please pay the INS a visit.....
