WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The group has been tasked to prepare a plan that could ease access to services and benefits for immigrants serving in the American armed forces.
"Within 30 days of the date of this memorandum, the [Interagency] Working Group shall develop an initial three-year strategic action plan that details broad approaches to be taken to enhance access to services and benefits," the White House memorandum said.
The memorandum noted that since President George W. Bush signed an executive order on the subject after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, 1.1 million people have been naturalized as US citizens upon completing service in the US armed forces.
Trump is scheduled to be sworn in as Obama’s successor on January 20 so that both the outline plan and the later more detailed one to be drawn up by the Working Group will have to be implemented by Trump’s new administration, not Obama’s outgoing one.
Trump has repeatedly emphasized during his election campaign his support for immigrants who enter the United States in legally approved ways and also his determination to improve government support for veterans of the US armed forces.