Letter

ACLU of Southern California Testimony on Deported Veterans

Document Date: October 28, 2019

In recent years, thousands of veterans were deported after they served because of even minor legal infractions. The U.S. government failed to deliver on its longstanding promise of citizenship for military service.

On October 29, a House Judiciary Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the plight of these veterans, many of whom are now fighting seemingly endless battles against purposeful government obstacles as they try to return to their lives — and their families — in the U.S.

The hearing will also address the Trump administration’s purposeful efforts to deny noncitizen service members their citizenship.

Among those giving testimony before the committee will be the ACLU of Southern California and decorated Army veteran Hector Barajas, who was deported in 2004. With the help of the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of SoCal, he was finally able to return to the U.S. last year and be sworn in as a citizen.

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