In an effort to help stop U.S. war veterans from being deported, brothers Valente and Jesus Manuel Valenzuela revealed that they would be starting a campaign against the practice.
Valente and Jesus Manuel Valenzuela live in Colorado Springs and are both war veterans that have had impending deportations suspended in the past.
"We're going to start a trip to begin the year making known many issues related to this odyssey. The people of this country should know what's happening to the families of our deported veteran brothers," said the Valenzuelas said in a statement.
The initiative is supported by the Point Man International Ministries of Colorado Springs and will kick off early 2013. The brothers are scheduled to travel to Mexico and the southwest United States with a documentary film crew. They hope the footage will help bring to the light the troubles brought on by deportation on former service members who had put their lives on the line.
"We already did our part by serving this country. Now it's the people's turn to do their part and donate (to this project)," the two brothers said.
Both the Valenzuela brothers are decorated for their services in Vietnam, and it wasn't until 2005 that they were notified they were not properly registered U.S. citizens. Although both their deportations were confirmed in 2009, they have since been suspended. This was due to the fact that the Department of Homeland Security cannot prove or disprove they are not citizens.
Many immigrants sign up for the armed forces thinking that they will automatically gain U.S. citizenship. It isn't until they have been arrested or in some financial trouble that they realize that they are still here illegally in the eyes of the government. Those who do get deported lose access to any of the benefits promised to them for their time serving such as medical and educational benefits, which puts additional strain on their families.
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