Marine Lance Corporal José Gutiérrez holds the sad honor of being the first U. S. soldier killed in the Iraqi conflict. José Gutiérrez was not a U. S. citizen. He was an illegal immigrant.
There are so many tragedies, contradictions and ironies surrounding the story of José Gutiérrez; it is hard to do justice to them all. He was an orphan from Guatemala. He made his way 3000 miles to the U. S. on his own. He was arrested at the U.S. border but because he had no family and lied about his age, rather than being deported he was placed in foster care. He graduated high school. He got a green card. He joined the Marines. He was killed on the first day of the Iraqi invasion. He was killed by friendly fire. He is not buried in Arlington National Cemetery, but in Guatemala City.
There are so many levels to this story. There is the hard work and aspirations of a young man who wanted to go to college and become an architect. There are the economic and education policies that make military service an attractive option for some of the poorest in our country. There is his death by friendly fire as the first of now over 2400 U.S. casualties in an invasion based on lies and deception. There is the tragedy of Guatemala itself where U. S. policies helped create so many orphans. And now there is the tragedy of the current immigration debate aimed at punishing and penalizing further men and women, like José Gutiérrez, who come to this country to work and to serve.
The next time you hear vicious talk about fences and National Guard on the Mexican border, please remember Lance Corporal José Gutiérrez. Remember that immigration is not a law enforcement issue. It is a civil rights issue and a human rights issue. Remember to be as thoughtful and progressive on issues of immigration and economic justice as you are about any other civil rights and human rights issue. Remember José Gutiérrez.