Homeland Security Says 'Thank You For Your Service,' Deports Anyway
Kristi Noem, in a moment of apparently selective amnesia, insisted no former military personnel were deported under the Trump administration––until a *deported veteran* inconveniently appeared via video call. This isn't just Noem's personal oversight; it's systemic. The US has a long, ugly history of recruiting non-citizens, promising a path to citizenship for their service, and then deporting
them when their utility expires. From Sae Joon Park, a combat veteran with PTSD arrested for 'minor drug offenses' in the 90s, to hundreds of others, these heroes are discarded without a second thought. Instead of addressing the policy that allows for the 'voluntary' self-deportation of those who risked their lives for supposed American values—often after struggling with service-related trauma—we
get political theater and crocodile tears. One might wonder if 'service to our country' is just a convenient phrase until the bill for citizenship, healthcare, and human decency comes due. It appears patriotism is only valued when it's easily exploitable, and inconvenience is met with a one-way ticket to somewhere else.