Immigrant veteran who served in US military faces deportation

A US Navy veteran who served three tours of duty in Iraq now faces deportation, despite having received a green card earlier this year. Benito Miranda Hernandez, who was brought to the U.S. from Mexico as a child, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shortly after completing a sentence for a drug conviction.

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This is my brother, Benito Miranda Hernandez, US Navy veteran.

Advocates, including James Smith, founder of Black Deported Veterans of America, gathered outside the U.S. federal courthouse in San Diego to protest Hernandez's detention. Smith highlighted Hernandez's service, pointing to a poster of him in uniform with medals, and urged for his return home. "These men and women were promised that they were going to get their citizenship if they served," Smith stated.

Hernandez's situation is part of a broader trend under the Trump administration, where immigrant veterans are reportedly facing increased deportation proceedings. Advocates suggest that veterans are particularly vulnerable due to a higher prevalence of mental health issues and challenges with reintegration into civilian life after their service. Hernandez himself has spoken about struggling to reintegrate after leaving the military. His mother, Maria Miranda, expressed her distress, stating, "He was doing things right. He had so many hopes, so many dreams."

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These men and women were promised that they were going to get their citizenship if they served.

While ICE does not consistently collect veteran status data, advocates report a rise in deportations of U.S. veterans. Reports indicate that at least 34 veterans have been placed in deportation proceedings in the past year. Some cases gain media attention, but many immigrant veterans remain in the spotlight for fear of negatively impacting their immigration cases.

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He was doing things right. He had so many hopes, so many dreams.