Veterans Without Citizenship Fear Deportation as Immigration Debate Enters US Politics

WASHINGTON — Veterans who lack U.S. citizenship face a growing risk of removal as immigration enforcement intensifies under current policy shifts, creating a sense of precarity for thousands who have served in the U.S. military. The stories are anchored by Julio Torres, a 44-year-old Marine Corps veteran who wears his service on his arms with a flag and insignia but now fears being swept up in deportation actions that his wife and children could pay for in a country he says he loves. Torres lives in East Texas, where his community has felt increasingly boxed in as authorities widen the net for immigrant enforcement.

Torres, born in Mexico and brought to the United States legally at age five, is a pastor who has worked to help others confront post-traumatic stress and addiction. He says his commitment to the United States runs deep, and he has felt betrayed by a system that rewards service with the possibility of removal. He was detained by immigration officials last year after returning from a visit to relatives in Mexico, despite holding a green card and a history of military service. The circumstances fed a sense of dislocation: he recalls the moment he was treated like a criminal after years of service, and he worries that his family could be uprooted if he is expelled. Torres described his emotions during the detention episode, saying, "Do I want to leave this nation? No. I want to serve it. I want to continue to serve my community," as he spoke to The Associated Press. He also recounted a sense of betrayal about a country that once honored his service and now threatens to deport him.

I was angry that I served a nation that now did not want me. I was angry that I served a nation that broke me, and after they broke me, they wanted to just throw me away, he said, adding, "I’m still angry that I don’t have the liberty to go to the store with my kids because I’m afraid of ICE stopping me and arresting me." Torres’ detention came after a past drug-crime charge from a decade earlier that violated the terms of his permanent residency; immigration authorities at the time weighed military service in their enforcement decisions, a practice the Trump administration moved to roll back with new policy memos. He was released after five days in detention, a release he credits to a combination of factors but notes that the experience left him with ongoing fear of removal.

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The broader context is stark: there are well over 100,000 military veterans living in the United States who do not have citizenship, according to recent estimates by the Congressional Research Service. Veterans and military families have long been told that service can expedite a path to citizenship, but the Trump administration’s changes, followed by a renewed enforcement posture under President Trump again, have raised the stakes for those who are not naturalized. Democrats in Congress have begun to raise alarms at the recent spate of veterans being forced to leave the country or being detained with family members. A bipartisan bill introduced Wednesday by Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat, seeks to address the issue by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to identify whether immigrants are U.S. military veterans and provide them an opportunity to apply for lawful immigration status. The legislation is also supported by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, a Republican, and Amata Coleman Radewagen, the delegate for American Samoa. The sponsors would extend the deadline and simplify the process for military members to apply for citizenship. Takano framed the measure as a national-security issue grounded in civilian-military service, saying, "It’s very important for Americans to understand the contributions of noncitizens to our national security. They’re often posed as threats to our personal safety, but this is a story about how they play an essential role — tremendous numbers of our current military forces are noncitizens." He stressed that veterans deserve a fair path to citizenship that reflects their service.

Beyond Torres, the human toll of deportations weighs heavily on families who say they were promised a fast track to citizenship through service. David Bariu, who served in the Army and Army Reserve and was deported to Kenya in 2008 after enlisting on a student visa, described a long, difficult road after detention and removal. Bariu said that serving in the U.S. military did not shield him from harsh consequences once he was no longer in the system’s good graces. He spoke of depression after a year in detention and the fear of returning to a country where he could face hostility or violence because of his veteran status. Bariu eventually regained a pathway to U.S. citizenship under a Biden-era program for deported veterans, returned to the United States, and now works with the Deported Black Veterans of America, an organization that supports veterans who were forced to leave the country. The group holds weekly Zoom meetings with deported veterans around the world to connect them with immigration lawyers, advise them on accessing benefits earned through military service, and offer mutual support as they navigate legal challenges.

Temporary protections and pathways for noncitizen veterans have proven uneven. Immigrants with lawful permanent residency historically could gain U.S. citizenship through military service, but the process has remained complicated, especially as service members move between bases or are stationed overseas. Takano’s bill would — among other provisions — allow service members to apply for citizenship during basic training and establish a review process for immigration removal proceedings. Other Democrats in Congress have proposed measures to quickly extend green cards to family members of service members, reflecting a broader push to recognize the sacrifices of military families. Republicans, for the most part, have shown little willingness to challenge Trump-era immigration policies, even as some lawmakers acknowledge that veterans’ service should be part of the conversation about citizenship and national identity.

The Department of Homeland Security has defended its enforcement actions, saying it is applying the law and enforcing policies consistently. As the policy debate continues, Torres remains hopeful that Congress will reframe the issue as a veterans’ issue, one that transcends partisan divides and emphasizes service and loyalty. He said that he hopes lawmakers can find common ground and avoid the toxicity often associated with immigration politics. "This is about a veteran," he said. "I love my nation. And yes, even though this nation at this moment in time does not consider me part of this nation, I consider this to be my nation. I consider this my homeland."