Veterans

Biden Administration Announces Plans To Bring Deported Veterans Back to US

July 6, 2021Hannah Ray Lambert
naturalization ceremony

Lance Cpl. Tomas Roginski examines his citizenship paperwork at the conclusion of his naturalization ceremony, Oct. 28, 2011, on Liberty Island, New York. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Randall Clinton.

The Biden administration announced Friday it planned to allow deported veterans and their immediate relatives to return to the United States legally, saying their removals “failed to live up to our highest values.”


Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas ordered immigration agencies to stop current deportation proceedings against veterans and their family members, take immediate steps to allow military families back into the US, and clear the way for service members to become citizens, The Washington Post reported. 


“The Department of Homeland Security recognizes the profound commitment and sacrifice that service members and their families have made to the United States of America,” Mayorkas said in a statement Friday. “Together with our partner the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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.”


Joe Biden deported veterans coffee or die
President Joe Biden at the Coast Guard Academy’s commencement, May 19, 2021. Photo courtesy of Joe Biden’s @POTUS Twitter account.

Veterans advocates and politicians have expressed concern over deportations and the difficulties service members face in trying to gain citizenship. The Senate Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety heard testimony in June from a Navy veteran deported over a marijuana conviction from the 1990s. Army veteran and Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth also recently introduced a legislative package that would prohibit deportation of veterans who are nonviolent offenders, allow deported vets to temporarily return to the country for VA health care, and give immigrants a clearer path to citizenship through military service.


On the campaign trail, Biden criticized President Donald Trump for deporting noncitizen veterans. Biden pledged to order the DHS to stop targeting veterans and their relatives for deportation during his first 100 days in office (Friday’s announcement was approximately two months after that timeline).


A 2019 report from the Government Accountability Office found the US does not have an accurate count of how many veterans have been deported because Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not maintain a complete electronic database.


The VA is working with the DHS and other agencies to identify deported veterans and their families to ensure they can obtain VA benefits and vaccines, according to Friday’s statement.


The DHS will establish an online Military Resource Center to help “current and former noncitizen service members and immediate family members of service members with issues related to immigration applications and benefits,” according to a memo obtained by CBS News. The agency will also review policies to make sure a veteran’s military service is “proactively identified and given due consideration” in deportation decisions, according to the memo.


Read Next: 10 Freedom Flicks To Watch This Fourth of July Weekend



Hannah Ray Lambert
Hannah Ray Lambert

Hannah Ray Lambert is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die who previously covered everything from murder trials to high school trap shooting teams. She spent several months getting tear gassed during the 2020-2021 civil unrest in Portland, Oregon. When she’s not working, Hannah enjoys hiking, reading, and talking about authors and books on her podcast Between Lewis and Lovecraft.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
soflete
Soflete: How This Veteran-Led Company is Changing Military Fitness Culture

In 2014, Soflete’s co-founders saw workout overkill hurting their peers as they prepared for selecti...

glock 19
Glock 19: Origin Story of a Legendary Pistol

Get to know the Glock 19 — how it works, who uses it, and why it’s one of the most popular handguns in the US.

afghan soldier asylum
Afghan Soldier Who Helped US Weathers Injuries, Uncertainty in Asylum Bid

Afghan soldier who assisted the U.S. now faces uncertainty in bid for asylum.

The Dirty Dozen
‘The Dirty Dozen’: Meet D-Day’s Real Rogue Commandos

The Dirty Dozen was based on a real team of rule-breaking elite paratroopers who jumped into France ahead of D-Day.

d-day 79th anniversary
Normandy Marks D-Day's 79th Anniversary, Honors World War II Veterans

This year's D-Day tribute to the young soldiers who died in Normandy is not only a chance to honor t...

f-22 raptor
The F-22: The Superiority Fighter That Never Shot Down an Enemy Plane

The F-22 Raptor was designed to fight next-gen Russian fighters. So far its only air-to-air kills are a Chinese balloon and a UFO.

Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway: Where America's March to Victory Began

The US Navy outwitted and outfought the Imperial Japanese Navy to secure victory in the do-or-die Battle of Midway.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved