Bill from Arizona congressman would readmit deported US veterans

PHOENIX — A bill introduced by an Arizona congressman on Wednesday would allow U.S. veterans who had been deported and not committed a serious crime back into the country.

“These people that put their lives on the line for this country, we kick them out and tell them, ‘Thanks for everything and we’ll see you when you’re dead,’ essentially,” U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) said. “I don’t think that’s the way we want to treat our veterans.”

The Restoring Respect for Immigrant Service in Uniform Act — which Gallego sponsored along with Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Jose Serrano (D-NY) — would also prevent the deportation of those that served in the American military for at least six months and have not committed a serious crime.

“These are largely green card holders,” Gallego said. “They served in the military honorably and many of them have left the military. Unfortunately, many of them are self-medicating themselves to deal with the problems of PTSD and then, somehow, find themselves involved with the law.”

Gallego said the bill would also allow veterans to receive proper care, which they are denied access to while living outside the U.S.

“These veterans still have veteran status,” he said. “They cannot receive veteran services because, unfortunately, they’re out of the country. The only time they are allowed to return to this country is when they die and we all them to be buried in a U.S. veterans cemetery.”

KTAR’s Martha Maurer contributed to this report.

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