Reps. Vargas, Gonzalez, McGovern Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Deported Veterans Gain Citizenship

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Representatives Juan Vargas (CA-52), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), and James P. McGovern (MA-02) reintroduced the Strengthening Citizenship Services for Veterans Act. Despite enlisting in our military and serving our country, many veterans who were honorably discharged have faced deportation and even been prevented from attending their own naturalization hearings. This legislation would help ensure deported veterans who have successfully completed the preliminary naturalization process can attend their citizenship interview at a port of entry, embassy, or consulate without navigating the complex process of parole.

"Many of the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to defend our nation and our freedoms are immigrants. It's unacceptable that some of these veterans are unable to return to their families and the country they served," said Rep. Juan Vargas. "It's past time for us to right this wrong. Deported veterans deserve to come home."

"Just as our service members kept their promise to protect our great nation, we have a sacred duty to keep ours when they return," said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez. "Our bill removes cumbersome bureaucratic hurdles for immigrant veterans and provides a pathway to U.S. citizenship. They have more than earned the right to call America home."

"It's shameful that we asked our veterans to put their lives on the line for our country, only to turn around and tell them they don't belong here," said Rep. Jim McGovern. "These men and women served our nation with honor, and we have a responsibility to stand by them. Our bill would help deported veterans come home, reunite with their families, and give them a fair path to citizenship without unnecessary barriers or delays."

This legislation has been endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Repatriate Our Patriots, and Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef).

"Veterans who raised their right hand to defend this nation deserve a fair opportunity to become citizens of the country they served. The Strengthening Citizenship Services for Veterans Actwould help remove barriers that keep deported veterans from completing the naturalization process. LULAC demands that Congress pass this legislation without delay. Our nation cannot keep asking for sacrifice while leaving those who served stranded abroad. Honor their service. Remove the barriers to citizenship. Bring our veterans home," said Livier Lázaro, SFC, U.S. Army (Ret.) LULAC National Deported Veterans Subcommittee Chair and San Diego native.

"When we raise our right hand, we make a promise to this country. We kept it. I'm asking our government to keep its promise to the people who serve, to the veterans still waiting to come home, and to the families who have stood beside them all along," said Danitza G. James, MSW, Repatriate Our Patriots President and CEO.

"It is unconscionable that people who risked their lives in service to this nation are detained, deported, and torn away from the families and communities they call home. These veterans have already given so much to this country, yet the United States government continues to subject them to an inhumane detention framework that disregards their service and the devastating impact of separating them from their loved ones. The Strengthening Citizenship Services for Veterans Act is a critical step toward reuniting deported veterans with their families. Congress must act to ensure those who served this country are not abandoned by the country they once fought to protect," said Amanda Schuft, ImmDef Legal Services Director.

Vargas and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) initially introduced this legislation in February of 2020 in the wake of deported U.S. Marine veteran Roman Sabal-who served for six years and received an honorable discharge after attaining the rank of sergeant-being denied reentry into the U.S. near the San Ysidro Port of Entry to attend his own naturalization interview. Only after a pro-bono legal team helped him sue the federal government was he paroled into the U.S. and allowed to complete his naturalization process. While Sabal eventually gained his citizenship in October of 2020, the citizenship interview process remains challenging for deported veterans.

"There is no higher betrayal to our heroes than being deported by the same nation they sacrificed to defend," said Senator Tammy Duckworth. "As the Trump Administration keeps cruelly targeting Veterans in its extreme deportation campaign, we need to do everything we can to protect our heroes. This common-sense legislation would help ensure these Veterans who served our nation honorably receive a fair chance at gaining citizenship without unnecessary delays that prevent them from reuniting with their families."

In November 2021, the Biden Administration sought to remedy some of these challenges with a new policy allowing deported veterans to conduct their citizenship interviews at ports of entry. The Strengthening Citizenship Services for Veterans Act would codify this policy and expand it to allow deported veterans to also conduct these interviews at consulates and embassies.

This legislation passed the House in the 117th Congress.

The Strengthening Citizenship Services for Veterans Act would:

• Direct USCIS to conduct biometric collections, naturalization examinations, and oath of allegiance ceremonies at a port of entry, embassy or consulate for veterans;
• Require the Secretaries of Homeland Security and State to issue guidance, facilitate available space, and quality assurance for biometric collections, naturalization examinations, and oath ceremonies for eligible veterans; and
• Direct the Secretaries of Homeland Security and State to jointly report to Congress an analysis of the implementation of this policy, the effectiveness of the guidance issued, and update the guidance if any shortcomings are identified.

###