過去12個月，美國陸軍除役了502個在全球招募、具有語言和公共衛生才能的移民士兵，而他們根據「國家利益所需軍方專業徵才計畫」(MAVNI)，通過應徵入伍就可迅速成為美國公民，在除役後，將喪失入籍的資格。

由於擔憂移民士兵的安全篩檢不嚴，國防部2016年暫停執行MAVNI計畫，陸軍去年開始在沒有給任何原因的情況下，把500多名MAVNI士兵除役。

美聯社採訪了十多個被除役的移民士兵，這些來自巴西、巴基斯坦、伊朗、中國和蒙古的士兵都表示，沒有想到會被除役和解除服役合約，是對他們的沉重打擊。

美軍各軍種被除役的移民士兵人數不詳，但陸軍從去年7月到今年7月是502人，其中三分之二被除役的理由，寫明是拒絕入伍(refuse to enlist)，這一理由在陸軍被除役士兵中占35%，還有一人是因為提交的文件不確實。

明尼蘇達州立大學畢業的甘蘇克表示，招募人員說，他的土耳其語是軍中的資產，但他不知自己為何被開除，直到有一天他向一個國會議員打聽，才知道是背景調查的時間太久，他說自己從來沒有拒絕服役。

22%的除役移民士兵被告知，他們入伍後的表現不佳。48人是因為背景調查沒過關，占10%，包括家人在外國，和軍方在規定時間內沒有完成背景調查。

導致被除役的還有其他因素，其中三人是個人問題，兩人是入伍後被警方調查，因為懷孕和上學的各有一人。

所有MAVNI士兵入伍後，都要簽約到現役部隊和後備役，許多人在等候安全背景調查期間參加軍訓和準備到新兵營受訓。

陸軍發言人表示，如果新招募的士兵尚未開始正式服役，陸軍和陸軍國民兵有權終止他們的服役合約。

協助創建MAVNI計畫的移民與國安法律專家瑪格麗特．史托克表示，陸軍沒有給被除役的移民士兵上訴機會。

伊拉克移民甘蘇克在曼哈頓時報廣場招募站加入美國陸軍。(美聯社)

Over the course of 12 months, the U.S. Army discharged more than 500 immigrant enlistees who were recruited across the globe for their language or medical skills and promised a fast track to citizenship in exchange for their service, The Associated Press has found.

The decade-old Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest recruiting program, or "MAVNI," was put on hold in 2016 amid concerns that immigrant recruits were not being screened sufficiently. The Army began booting out those enlistees last year without explanation.

The AP has interviewed more than a dozen recruits from countries such as Brazil, Pakistan, Iran, China and Mongolia who all said they were devastated by their unexpected discharges or canceled contracts.

Until now, it's been unclear how many were discharged and for what reason because the Army has refused to discuss specific cases. But the Army's own list, submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia last month, says 502 service members who enlisted under MAVNI were discharged between July 2017 and July 2018.

The list, which was unsealed this week after a request from the AP, offers "refuse to enlist" as the reason for expelling two-thirds of the recruits. That is the reason given for 35 percent of enlistee discharges Army-wide, according to a research study posted on a Defense Department website.

But at least one recruit whose paperwork said he was being discharged from the program for that reason said it was not accurate.

Badamsereejid Gansukh, whose recruiter told him his Turkish language skills would be an asset to the military, said he didn't know he was discharged at all until he asked his congressman's office this summer to help him figure out why his security screening was taking so long.

"I never said I refuse to enlist, not at all," Gansukh said. In fact, he said, he had opted in for another year after getting a call from his recruiter.

Upon learning he was discharged, "I just broke down," the Minnesota State University graduate said.

The Defense Department said it would not comment on individual cases.

Twenty-two percent of the discharged immigrants were told their entry-level performance and conduct was subpar, which Pentagon spokeswoman Carla Gleason said could include being injured. Ten percent — or 48 service members — were listed as being discharged because of an unfavorable security screening. This can include having family members in another country — which is typical for immigrants — or the military not completing all of the screenings in a reasonable period.

There were three discharges for apathy or personal problems, two for having an encounter with police after enlisting, one due to pregnancy and another citing education, which could indicate a university opportunity.

Two "declined to ship" to boot camp, the list said, and two enlistees were discharged with the explanation "unknown," which the Defense Department said it could not explain.

The names of the service members and other personal information were redacted from the list to protect their privacy.

All the enlistees had committed to active duty or reserves; many had been regularly drilling and training with their recruiters in preparation for boot camp while awaiting security clearances.

If a recruit hasn't started active duty, the U.S. Army and Army National Guard have "the authority to separate the individual and terminate the contract, whether at the applicant's request or at the government's convenience," Army spokeswoman Jessica Maxwell said in a statement Wednesday.

Margaret Stock, an immigration and national security law expert who helped create the MAVNI program, said the Army is not giving enlistees their legal right to appeal.

"They are trying to get rid of people," she said.

Eligible recruits are required to have legal status in the U.S., such as a student visa, before enlisting. More than 5,000 immigrants were recruited into the program in 2016, and an estimated 10,000 are currently serving. The vast majority go into the Army, but some also go to the other military branches.

Gansukh, a first-generation immigrant from Mongolia, said he had hoped to be a part of something larger when he enlisted, and believed his service would be an honorable way to seek citizenship in his new country.

"Now I feel like I was really targeted in a way," he said. "I feel isolated from the rest of the people who are living here."

Other recruits discharged this year amid stalled security screenings were equally devastated.

CBS News spoke to Panshu Zhao in July. The Chinese immigrant is a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M who enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in 2016 through MAVNI, but never received his security clearance and was kicked out.

"I have never violated any legal rules. I have never been associated with any foreign forces and how could I fail this? Probably because the only thing I have is I'm Chinese. I was born in China. My parents are Chinese people. How could I change that?" Zhao said.

Zhao, who passed a background check to teach at Texas A&M and another to visit the White House, said he was given no explanation for why his clearance wasn't granted. 

"I wish I can at least have some certain degree of justice for this," he said.

As cases snowballed, some began suing. In response to the litigation, the Army stopped processing discharges last month and reinstated at least three dozen recruits who had been thrown out of the service.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters late last month that he supports the MAVNI program.

"We need and want every qualified patriot willing to serve and able to serve," Mattis said.