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RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE CANCELLATION OF THE MILITARY ACCESSIONS VITAL TO NATIONAL INTEREST (�MAVNI�) PROGRAM AND URGING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO CONTINUE THE MAVNI PROGRAM

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WHEREAS, in 2008, the United States Department of Defense (�DOD�) established the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (�MAVNI�) program, which recruits legal immigrants with medical and language skills considered vital to the national interest into the military and, in exchange for enlistment, provides expedited naturalization; and
WHEREAS, MAVNI applicants are legal immigrants and must be valid asylees, refugees, have temporary protected status (�TPS�), or be in certain nonimmigrant categories for a period of two years immediately prior to their enlistment date; and
WHEREAS, a MAVNI applicant must not leave the United States for more than 90 cumulative days during the two year period immediately preceding the date of enlistment; and
WHEREAS, under the MAVNI program, the United States Armed Forces gained valuable services from health care professionals and experts in languages that are vital to the ability of the military to operate effectively around the world; and
WHEREAS, the MAVNI program has led to expedited citizenship for 10,400 troops since 2008 and provided the military with special skills from more than 10,000 troops; and
WHEREAS, in September 2016, the DOD issued a memorandum imposing new clearance requirements for enlistees enrolled in the MAVNI program; and

WHEREAS, in 2017, Pentagon officials sent a memorandum to DOD Secretary James Mattis requesting a termination of the MAVNI program due to an elevated risk to the DOD and the cost of additional background checks for MAVNI recruits; and
WHEREAS, on July 10, 2017, the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (�CIS�) Ombudsman�s report to Congress advised that the clearance requirements imposed on MAVNI recruits has led to substantial delays and caused immigration status issues for those joining the Armed Services through MAVNI who wish to apply for naturalization; and
WHEREAS, canceling the MAVNI program could leave as many as 1,800 MAVNI applicants subject to deportation and leave the military without vital medical and language skills; and
WHEREAS, this Board supports the MAVNI program,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Opposes the cancellation of the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (�MAVNI�) program.
Section 2. Urges the United States Department of Defense to continue the MAVNI program.
Section 3. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the members of the Miami-Dade County Congressional Delegation and the U.S. Secretary of Defense.
Section 4. Directs the County�s federal lobbyists to advocate for the action set forth in Sections 1 and 2 above, and authorizes and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to include this time in the 2018 Federal Legislative Package when it is presented to the Board.