The Trump administration issued its new Executive Order (EO) this morning which is designed to “protect the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States.” But if you’ve been paying attention, you know that this is nothing more than Muslim Ban 2.0, a version of the same hideous policy but one that might have a chance of being upheld in court. Trump and his white nationalist friends have a dangerous obsession with ridding the nation of all foreign presence—specifically anyone brown. By trying to convince us all that brown skinned foreigners are responsible for all our problems and Mexicans (a dog whistle for all Latinos) are “bad dudes” that need to be deported, they hope to gain support for their deportation policy that targets all undocumented immigrants and makes no sense whatsoever.
Here’s one more example of the consequences of their inane immigration policy. Army Private 1st class Miguel Perez, Jr., who was born in Mexico and raised in Chicago, is now facing deportation because he committed a nonviolent drug offense.
He served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and was injured in an explosion. He sustained a brain injury and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, his family said.
Apparently Miguel, whose parents are both US citizens as are his two children, signed up to join the army before he could complete the process of applying for citizenship.
"He offered his life for this country for this nation and he has a right to live in the country that he fought for," said Miguel Perez, Sr.
Miguel's parents said his troubles began after he returned home after completing two tours of duty overseas. They said after being diagnosed with PTSD, their son had a hard time finding a job.
That's when he got mixed up with the wrong crowd and was eventually convicted and sentenced for selling drugs.
This also speaks volumes about how we treat our veterans. After coming back from two tours of duty with severe injuries both physical and psychological, the fact that they can’t find gainful employment is a disgrace. And while we don’t know if Miguel himself was doing drugs, if he was, why couldn’t he be provided with the help he needed? In a country with plentiful resources that prides itself on a strong military, why can’t we seem to get it together to properly serve the ones who serve us?
Additionally, it’s worth noting that many undocumented immigrants sign up for the military with the desire to serve the nation and become citizens in the process. But in Trump’s America, their sacrifice means nothing but a one-way ticket back to their country of origin.
Perez represents thousands of green card veterans who face deportation, according to a press release by Ashley's Memory Project, which was started by the immigrant mother of a deceased veteran, and a local church. They said many enlist with the promise of citizenship.
So here’s another supposed “bad dude,” this time a veteran, that Trump’s deportation force has rounded up and locked away. What a disgusting way to thank Miguel and other undocumented immigrants for their service.