In this article by the Associates Press titled "Immigrant Vets Face Deportation Despite Service", two military veterans represent the growing number of immigrants who have served the United States in combat and now face deportation proceedings as a result of of the 1996 Illegal Immigrant Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. It is true that each of these veterans has committed crimes since returning from active duty, however their case should be taken into careful consideration because of their service to this country. Rohan Coombs is a U.S. Armed Forces veteran who came to the country from Jamaica as a child, therefore the United States is the only home he knows.Coombs' attorney, Craig Shagin of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania states that, "They served in our uniforms, in our wars. If they were POWs, they'd be considered American prisoners."
California Democratic representative Bob Filner, chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, agrees with Shagin and is working to change the 1996 law. Filner concludes that, "An incredible number of kids come back with an injury or illness that puts them in trouble with the law. To simply have these people deported is not a good way to thank them for their service." ICE has not been keeping track of how many veterans are deported each year, but claims that it will now that this issue has surfaced in light of other immigration legislation. The United States Armed Forces is also notorious for ignoring non-life threatening injuries such as concussions and PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder), though legislation regarding compensation for these injuries is also making headway according to The Veterans Blog. The U.S. military acknowledges the dedication of the eight thousand immigrants that enlist each year, and is working to get them on the fast track to citizenship. In the meantime, Rohan Coombs among many other army veterans wait in immigration detention centers to find out if they will be deported from the country they have risked their lives to protect.
