Congressmen Young and Gonzalez Introduce Bill to Repatriate Deported U.S. Military Veterans

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Congressmen Don Young (AK-AL) and Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) introduced the Repatriate Our Patriots Act (ROPA), bipartisan legislation that would create a pathway to citizenship for deported veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.

In December of 2018, deported U.S. Army veteran, Carlos Jaime Torres returned home, but did so in death. He passed away in Reynosa, Mexico -- across the river from his home in McAllen, Texas. This bill is reintroduced in dedication to Carlos Torres and for the thousands of deported veterans around the world like him. Many of these honorably discharged veterans are highly decorated and all had clean records before serving. At the same time, many suffer from PTSD and other combat injuries incurred as a result of their service to the nation.

"If you are willing to put your life on the line to defend this great nation and our values, you should be able to become a U.S. citizen," said Congressman Don Young. "It is inexcusable that service members who risked it all to protect us would be put through the deportation process. The recent announcement by the Administration that they would review the deportation of veterans is welcome news, but we must not forget that executive actions are not law. It is up to Congress to find a legislative solution for these heroes, which is the only way to provide a lasting sense of safety and peace of mind. I am proud to join my friend, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, as we introduce the Repatriate Our Patriots Act, which will finally bring our veterans back to the country they so bravely fought for. We must do all we can to help this bill become law, and I will be working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get it across the finish line."

"As we work to reform our immigration system, we must include bringing our veterans who have served our country back home," said Congressman Vicente Gonzalez. "It is inexcusable that the United States deported its veterans instead of working with them to get the help they needed. President Biden ran on the promise that he would return our deported veterans from abroad and now is the time. I look forward to working with the President and Congressional leadership to bring this bill to the floor."

The Repatriate Our Patriots Act would:

Allow deported veterans who were honorably discharged or released to go through the naturalization process abroad. This excludes those who have been convicted of crimes such as voluntary manslaughter, murder, rape, sexual abuse of a minor, child abuse, and/or terrorism.
Order the Attorney General to cancel or rescind a removal order that affects any eligible veteran, and subsequently change his or her status to legal permanent resident.
Require the Secretary of Homeland Security to create a program and application procedure to allow veterans, who are eligible and were removed prior to the bill's enactment, to return to the U.S. lawfully and be admitted as a permanent resident.
Require the Secretary of Homeland Security to identify and maintain records of immigration cases involving qualifying veterans.

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