Photo: Office of Councilor Rodríguez / Courtesy
To commemorate Memorial Day, a mural called “ Leave No One Behind ”to honor and advocate for veterans who have been deported or are in removal proceedings.
The mural was installed in District 7, in the San Fernando Valley, which is represented by Councilor Mónica Rodríguez. Through this public art project, the councilwoman and allies urge the Biden-Harris administration and Congress to enact an immigration policy to repatriate deported veterans, protect newcomers, end family separation and reunite families. .
Official Rodríguez said on Monday morning at a press conference that for her this situation is personal since she is the daughter of a Vietnam War Veteran, who came to the United States as a child as a legal resident.
“A man who served this country and came without citizenship,” Rodríguez said. “I am here for that honorable service.”
However, he indicated that it is sad and shameful to know that in the year 2021 there is still talk of not deporting veterans.
“Unfortunately, many of our veterans who continue to serve our country selflessly are under deportation pressure,” said Rodríguez. “Many of them, having served our country with honor, have found themselves in the presence of a country they no longer know.”
Fighting not to be deported
One of them is Mario Martínez, who was present during the unveiling of the mural. As a teenager he enlisted in the military as a legal resident and served in the military from 1980 to 1986 during the Cold War in West Germany. Already with the rank of sergeant he was honorably discharged.
However, years later he was found guilty of domestic violence which led him to serve nearly four years in a state prison. Martinez was later turned over to agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE), the agency that handles deportation for the Department of Homeland Security.
“ICE detained me and they chained me like an animal. They chained me with my feet tied around my waist. My hands were handcuffed and it was much worse than being in prison, ”said Martinez, who spent nearly a year incarcerated in Adelanto, California, before being released on bail in the 2014.
“The attitude of the officers is very cruel. I have first-hand experience. ”
From 2017 Martinez has been fighting his immigration case to avoid being deported. He said he asked California Governor Gavin Newsom’s pardon twice. So far he has not received a response but assured that he is in constant communication with his office.
“I want to continue doing everything possible to stay in this country and I will fight tooth and nail to stay here and serve my country, “said the veteran who emigrated to the United States at the age of 5.
Martínez hopes that with the advocacy of supporters and activists his nightmare will soon end.
“My mother recently passed away from Covid, my sister has cancer, and my father is also ill,” Martinez said. “I have children and grandchildren here, I have lived in this country for a long time.”
Appeal to Biden Administration
At the 2016 the ACLU of California presented the report “ Discharged, Then Discarded ” (Downloaded , later discarded) which followed 80 cases of deported veterans. In many of these cases, the veterans believed that they would automatically become citizens through their service in the military. Others applied for naturalization but their documentation was lost.
Rodríguez said that many times deported veterans are not only far from their families, but also due to the lack of support services they need, such as mental health help, after having served the country.
they often deserve it and need it, ”Rodríguez said. “After seeing the battle they face After completing their service we want to make sure no one is left behind. ”
Kathleen Hernández, Veterans for Peace (VFP) Member Angeles, said that she has visited veterans in Tijuana, Baja California several times and has seen them working tirelessly every day to bring food to asylum seekers in shelters, fixing toilets and helping in whatever way they can, as they learned it during their years of service.
“They go where they are needed, deliver clothes and educate others on what it happens in your home. I have been there many times and I have seen their tears of wanting to return home because their families are here ”, indicated Hernández.
The mural is located at 2836 San Fernando Rd. in Sylmar.