I was outraged by this headline, but decided to hold off commenting until I learned more. Now talking to several knowledgeable people re this program who are pointing to important caveats that suggest waiting on the details before getting outraged is the right thing to do.
1) I am told that a background check has always been an essential element in this program. The article itself admits the people being released have failed that check.
2) As they have not even started basic training, they aren’t really being discharged.
2) As they have not even started basic training, they aren’t really being discharged.
3) also told that the program has faced issues recently w/ abuse by those who sign up just for short periods to get stats via honorable discharge since there is no time requirement for service.
4) Apparently, w/ background issue, there is a rising gang problem among recruits.
4) Apparently, w/ background issue, there is a rising gang problem among recruits.
Now of course if they are actually kicking out people who were willing to serve this country honorably, that is outrageous and should be reviewed in a case by case basis, but some of these cuts may be warranted for reasons stated above.
On the other hand, if this is the AP taking reasonable actions by the military and twisting them into some nefarious anti-immigrant plot, it’s yet another example of a string of media failures recently where creating outrage seems to be prioritized over the truth and context.
One more note: Apparently the whole reason for the added background scrutiny for recruits of the MAVNI program was that the Obama admin wrongly tried to combine it with DACA to give Dreamers a path to citizenship: lexisnexis.com/legalnewsroom/…
You should note the very same expert extensively quoted in the AP article specifically said that it was the Obama admin’s decision to pair the program with DACA “sounded the death knell for the program”. 
More: There was a complete freeze in new recruiting for the MANVI program after enhanced security checks became a requirement in the fall of 2016 (under the Obama administration)
stripes.com/army-loosens-r…
stripes.com/army-loosens-r…
More clarification: It appears that recruits time out if they don’t pass the checks and report to basic after 1095 days (extended form original deadline of 730 in 2017). That explains why some are timing out despite freeze on new recruits in fall of 2016. (H/t @ECH_ALA)
So the people being cut now seem to be a combination of those failing counter-intel checks and those timing out because checks haven’t been completed. The latter is obviously less defensible. The program itself has been fully frozen to new recruits since the Obama admin.
Last point via a knowledgeable source related to the program: I am told that a large percentage of MAVNI recruits being flagged and failing counter intel checks are from China.
I thought that was interesting and counter perception some people may have had from the AP article.
I thought that was interesting and counter perception some people may have had from the AP article.
Here is my attempt at a clear summary:
