November 22, 2019

Duckworth Hosts Chicago Roundtable on Deported Veterans and Supporting Immigrant Military Families

 

[CHICAGO, IL] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) hosted a roundtable today with members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and Green Card Veterans to discuss issues facing immigrant Veterans and their families. Duckworth highlighted her legislation to protect and support Veterans and servicemembers, as well as discussed her recent Veterans Day visit to Tijuana, Mexico, where she met with Veterans who have been deported. Photos from today’s roundtable are available here.

“No one willing to wear our uniform should be deported by the same nation they sacrificed to defend, and no one serving overseas should be worried that their loved ones back at home will be deported by the time they finish the mission at hand,” Duckworth said. “I’m going to keep working with organizations like AILA and Green Card Veterans to make sure we’re providing the necessary support for these brave men and women and their families, and that they can access the life-saving VA care they earned through their tremendous sacrifices.”

Earlier this year, Senator Duckworth re-introduced three bills to protect and support Veterans and servicemembers. Her proposals—the Veterans Visa and Protection Act, HOPE Act and I-VETS Act—would prohibit the deportation of Veterans who are not violent offenders, give legal permanent residents a path to citizenship through military service and strengthen VA healthcare services for Veterans. This month, she introduced legislation to protect military families from deportation.

On Veterans Day, Senator Duckworth traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, to meet with a group of Veterans who have been deported to hear about their efforts to access the VA healthcare benefits they’ve earned. Earlier this week, she published an op-ed in Military Times reflecting on her visit.

-30-