LOS ANGELES, July 6: US President George Bush, through an executive order on July 5, has granted an expedited citizenship consideration to non-citizen members of the US military serving in active duty during the “war on terrorism.”

The Executive Order, authorized under Section 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, makes up to 15,000 non-citizen men and women serving in US military since Sept 11th immediately eligible to apply to become citizens.

US immigration laws traditionally have allowed for expedited citizenship consideration for non-citizen members of the military, even in peacetime. Section 328 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) allows non-citizen members of the military in peacetime to become citizens after three years of service, instead of the usual five-year wait required of non-military applicants.

Under Section 329 of the INA, 143,000 non-citizen military participants in World Wars I and II, and 31,000 members of the US military who fought during the Korean War, became naturalized American citizens. Former President Carter signed a similar Executive Order following Vietnam, and President Clinton signed one after the Gulf War.