We Deport Veterans

For decades, we’ve deported military veterans—legal residents of the United States—while dangling citizenship before them

The Deported Veterans Mural on the fence at the Tijuana/U.S. border. Photos: Robert Stribley, except where noted

This is the tale of two Hectors. Two U.S. military vets. Both lived in the United States for many years as immigrants from a young age. Both were deported. One made it back. One hasn’t.

Many Americans probably don’t know it, but the U.S. deports military veterans. Though it’s difficult to determine exactly how often, it happens. That’d be bad enough if we hadn’t also spent many years dangling the prospect of citizenship before these same immigrants before yanking it away from them after putting their lives on the line for this country—their country.

Hector “Hex” Lopez behind his desk at the Unified U.S. Deported Veterans Center in Tijuana, Mexico.

I met two such men, including the first Hector, on a day trip to Tijuana. I stumbled upon the Unified U.S. Deported Veterans Center, scarcely a football field away from the U.S./Mexico border. I was walking along Calle José María Larroque when I saw their sign out on the sidewalk, so I ducked into the modest space. Inside I met Luis Vargas Salazar and Hector “Hex” Lopez. Salazar served in the U.S. Marine Corps in Beirut, Lebanon, and Grenada. Lopez…