PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Dec 20, 2011
Support and Defend Our Military Personnel and Their Families Act - States that any person who serves or has served under honorable conditions as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces in support of contingency operations shall be eligible for naturalization as if the person had served during a period of presidentially-designated military hostilities.
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to extend the period for filing a naturalization application to one year after completion of eligible military service.
Exempts from worldwide immigrant visa numerical limitations an alien who is eligible for a family-sponsored immigrant visa and is either the spouse or child of a permanent resident alien who is serving in the Armed Forces.
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Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to adjust to permanent resident status an alien who is a parent, spouse, child, son or daughter, or minor sibling of a person who is serving or has served in the Armed Forces under honorable conditions. Permits posthumous benefits under specified circumstances.
Permits the military enlistment of an alien who takes the oath set forth in this Act during any period of contingency operations.
States that with respect to a removal proceeding under INA: (1) a notice to appear shall not be issued against an alien who serves or has served under honorable conditions in the Armed Forces without the Secretary's prior approval; (2) the Secretary, in determining whether to issue a notice, shall consider the alien's eligibility for naturalization, military service record, grounds of deportability, and any hardship to the Armed Forces, the alien, and his or her family if the alien were to be placed in removal proceedings; and (3) an alien who serves or has served under honorable conditions in the Armed Forces shall not be removed from the United States under specified grounds.
People & committees
Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-1] · D–CA
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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