Family: Afghan war vet deported to Mexico, left ‘homeless and penniless’
CHICAGO – Ending a 16-month quest to stay in a country where he was raised and that he fought to defend, Miguel Perez Jr., a veteran who held a green card, has been deported to Mexico, where he has not lived since childhood.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Sunday that Perez boarded an ICE Air Operations flight at Gary International Airport in Indiana and was flown to Brownsville, Texas. There, ICE officers escorted Perez across the U.s.-mexico border and turned him over to Mexican authorities.
Perez was deported without the customary warning and opportunity to say goodbye to his family. He had no money or clothes and was left in a border town on the U.S. travel warning list, advocates said. His family will fly to Mexico on Monday to help him gather resources and ensure his safety.
“This is an intolerable way to treat a man who fought bravely for this nation,” said Emma Lozano, an advocate who has been fighting Perez’s case. “They have left him homeless and penniless in a dangerous place, without food or money or clothes or needed medications.”
Raised in Chicago since age 8, Perez enlisted before 9/11 and served until 2004. He was deployed to Afghanistan and served with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group.
After his military service, Perez sought treatment at the Veterans Affairs hospital near Maywood, where doctors diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder.
He was supposed to return for more tests to determine whether he also had a traumatic brain injury.
In the meantime, he reconnected with a childhood friend who provided free drugs and alcohol.
On Nov. 26, 2008, while with that friend, Perez handed a laptop case containing cocaine to an undercover officer. Perez pleaded guilty to the drug charge and served half of a 15-year prison sentence.
While Perez was convicted of delivering less than 100 grams of cocaine, prosecutors have said he was arrested for delivering much more and received a reduced sentence after a plea deal.
Prosecutors also pointed out that Perez was given a general discharge from the military after a drug infraction.
Perez is one of many veterans, some of whom sustained injuries and emotional trauma during combat, who have been decorated for service, then confronted with the possibility of deportation after committing a crime.
As with many others, Perez mistakenly thought he became a U.S. citizen when he took an oath to protect the nation. He discovered that was not the case when he was summoned to immigration court shortly before his release from a state penitentiary, where he had served seven years in the cocaine case.
DEAR ABBY: I am an only child who has lived at home all her life – 44 years. My father recently passed away, so now it is just Mom and me. She has become extremely clingy. She is jealous of my friends and feels I must be with her for almost everything. What can I do?
I think I should move out, but she will take it badly. Also, I’m concerned about her health. She’s 71, diabetic and has a heart condition. Is this a lost cause or is there hope? – HOPING IN FLORIDA
DEAR HOPING: I agree that you should move. It would have been better had you cut the umbilical cord while your father was still alive, but better late than never.
Are there relatives or friends who can look in on your mother regularly?
If there are, enlist their help. She should not be allowed to become isolated and solely dependent on one person. Look into grief support groups and other programs for seniors in your community.
If your mother needs a companion and your family finances allow it, hire someone to stay with her. It’s time you had a life of your own. Consider it the price of your freedom.
** DEAR ABBY: A few months ago, one of my best friends was dumped by his long-term boyfriend. I was shocked because everyone thought they were an ideal couple, and theirs was a relationship to model all of ours after.
A few days ago, my friend finally felt comfortable enough to confide that his ex had cheated on him with another friend of ours, which was another shock.
Since then, I have been conflicted about how to act around the ex, whom I considered to be a good friend until this happened. I am tempted to lash out at him for hurting someone we care about, but I don’t want to add more drama.
We all are in undergrad together, so we see each other every day. It’s getting harder not to stick up for my friend at this point. How do I suppress my anger in order to be a friend to both of them, even if the ex may not deserve it? – ANGRY IN THE SOUTH
DEAR ANGRY: A way to do that would be to remind yourself that there are usually two sides to a story.
Bide your time and wait to see what happens. Whether you want to remain friends with the “cad” will become apparent with time. Remaining quiet may be the better choice, particularly if the “ideal couple” decides to reunite.