Formerly Deported Veteran Miguel Perez, Jr. to Join Congressman García for State of the Union Address in Washington

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04) announced Army veteran Miguel Perez Jr. will be his guest at President Trump's State of the Union address on February 4, 2020 in Washington, D.C. As a legal permanent resident, Perez served two tours of duty in Afghanistan before being stripped of his green card and deported to Mexico for a non-violent drug conviction. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker pardoned Miguel in August 2019, clearing the path for his return to the United States and allowing him to become a U.S. citizen in October, 2019.

"Miguel's story shows strength and perseverance, but it also represents a failure of our immigration system: deporting veterans who served their country. The Trump Administration doesn't even know how many veterans have been deported. While the vets appeal their cases outside the United States, they don't have access to their military benefits. Miguel's presence in Washington will highlight the cruelty of our immigration system," said Congressman García.

"I'm so thrilled to have been invited to the State of the Union by Congressman García. This is part of the history of our country and I'm excited to live it. But I also want Members of Congress to know that my story is not unique; there are hundreds of veterans who have been deported. I hope to bring awareness about this situation with my presence in Washington next week," said Perez.

In December of 2019, Congressman García, along with 33 other Members of Congress, introduced A New Way Forward Act, a landmark piece of legislation that corrects racial and anti-immigrant injustices embedded in our immigration laws, which have enabled the Trump Administration's inhumane assault on non-citizens in the United States and at our southern border. A New Way Forward Act recognizes that all our communities deserve dignity, restoration, and repair, not further criminalization.

To learn more about Miguel Perez Jr.'s story click here.

For background information on veterans and immigration enforcement click here.