An Army veteran that served two tours of duty in Afghanistan faces deportation. Miguel Perez Jr. is a 36-year-old that has lived in the Chicago area for most of his life. He is one of the many so called “Green Card Soldiers” that have served in the U.S. military. These are undocumented immigrant men and women, or any variation of non-citizen, that have served in the American military but can be deported for committing crimes and breaking the law.
Perez was convicted and sentenced for selling drugs after returning from his second deployment. His parents, Esperanza and Miguel Perez Sr., claim that their son fell on hard times after failing to secure a job due to symptoms from combat induced PTSD. They claim their son turned to selling drugs in order to support his 18-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son, both of whom are U.S. citizens. Perez Sr. is a Gulf War veteran and believes that, despite the fact that his son broke the law, he deserves to remain in the country for his devoted service. He told reporters:
“He offered his life for this country for this nation and he has a right to live in the country that he fought for,”
His wife Esperanza echoed his sentiments by stating:
“I love my son. He fought for this country. I think it’s not fair,”
Perez had his legal resident status revoked while in prison for drug related charges. He was was detained by immigration officials who revoked his status and started the process to deport him.
The office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have not commented on the potential deportation.
[revad2]
