Biden is Bringing Deported Veterans Back Home

Undocumented veterans have been deported in record breaking amounts, and the Biden administration is attempting to correct the wrongful action done by their predecessor’s and their own administrations. They are making an effort to find deported US Veterans, along with their families, and bring them home to the US. Along with that, these veterans will be given their VA benefits for life.

Legal immigrants often join the U.S. military and risk their lives for this country, yet hundreds have been deported.  Alejandro Mayorkas, the secretary of Homeland security had the following statement: “We are committed to bringing back military service members, veterans, and their immediate family members who were unjustly removed, and ensuring they receive the benefits to which they may be entitled…” I’m sure all of us couldn’t agree with that sentiment more.

To further highlight how serious this issue really is, I’d like to tell you the story of Miguel Perez Jr. Miguel is a native of Mexico, but grew up most of his life in Chicago, where he learned to speak English and worked two jobs. He decided he wanted to serve his country by enlisting in the military where he did 2 tours in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, he came back with PTSD and a drug problem that landed him in prison for 7 years. And how did the US repay their troubled hero who sacrificed his life for this country? They sent him to an immigration detention center and deported him back to Mexico. The country where he grew up, the country that taught him everything he knows, the country that he fought for, threw him away to a country that he knew little to nothing about.

Tijuana is now home to over 40 US veterans that we know of (there are likely much more) who have been deported after serving in our military. 24 of those veterans live in Juarez, and over 100 have been deported between 2013-2018 – and that’s only what has been officially reported. What has been happening is truly tragic, and although the actions that the US allowed are inexcusable, I’m glad to hear they are taking steps to right their wrongdoing.