From Vietnam Veterans Against the War, http://www.vvaw.org/veteran/article/?id=1597
Download PDF of this full issue: v40n1.pdf (10.4 MB) |
When I first heard of the deportation of veterans I said, "Bullshit, they don't deport veterans." After 62 years I should have known better. At first I became pissed off at yet another example of our government treating veterans like condoms, "use them once and throw them away." When I calmed down I took action.
Rohan Coombs, USMC, Gulf War I Veteran (facing Deportation and being held by ICE in El Centro, California) |
If you had Googled "deportation of veterans, deporting US military veterans, banished veterans" or any combination of words to describe this national disgrace in January of 2009 you would have found very little on this injustice. Since then we have, with the guidance and assistance of a dedicated immigration and criminal defense attorney, Heather Boxeth, who serves as lead council:
In short we have shined a light on an issue that our government would like kept in the dark. But a year later little has changed, and the deportation of US military veterans continues unabated.
It's time to shine a brighter light on this injustice. It's time to take this issue to all Congressional Districts in all 50 states. It's time to take this issue to all veterans' organizations nationally and to ask them to support a resolution to protect these veterans.
These men served. They were willing to die to protect and defend this nation. We can do no less than form and deploy the reactionary squad and march to the sounds of the battle in defense of these veterans.
To view the photos and read the stories of some of the Banished Veterans go to the website that they have created and run at www.banishedveterans.info and if you are so moved click on "Donate."
A NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION
At this very moment as you read this, upwards of 4,000 former members of the US Military who have served from Vietnam to OEF and OIF are facing deportation and in 2009 about that many were deported.
The VVAW National Office has officially adopted this proposal as a national program.
Text of National Resolution
Resolution on amending the United States Code to clearly state that US military service members are "non citizen nationals" and to petition the Department of Homeland Security to stay their removal from the United States of America;
"I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."
Therefore be it resolved that Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Inc. calls upon the US House of Representatives and US Senate to amend the United States Code to clearly state:
"The following shall be nationals, but not citizens of the United States: (1) A person who, by conscription or enlistment, entered any branch of the United States armed forces. This shall be retroactive to service persons previously removed from the United States."
Be it further resolved that Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Inc. calls upon the Department of Homeland Security to stay their removal from the United States of America;
Be it further resolved that Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Inc. will establish a VVAW National Banished Veterans Defense Committee open to all members and chapters to coordinate action by the National Office in support of legislation to clearly state that US military service members are "noncitizen nationals" and petition the Department of Homeland Security to stay their removal from the United States of America, to work with other national veterans organizations and grassroots organizations, in efforts to strengthen the national campaign; and
Be it further resolved that the VVAW Banished Veterans Defense Committee will help organize and coordinate events at the local, state, and national level to educate the public and to build public participation in the campaign, to push for enactment of legislation and a stay of removal for these veterans without further delay; and
Be it further resolved that the VVAW Banished Veterans Defense Committee will coordinate and assist all willing VVAW members in contacting their respective members of Congress to urge support of the proposed legislation to ask their respective member of Congress to support upcoming legislation, (bill numbers to be announced) and request the Department of Homeland Security to stay the removal of the US military veterans; and
Be it further resolved that the National Office of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Inc. calls upon all other state and national veterans organizations, state and local government bodies, community organizations, labor unions to adopt similar resolutions and to use all their resources to build the campaign to clearly state that US military service members are "noncitizen nationals" and petition the Department of Homeland Security to stay their removal from the United States of America; and
Be it further resolved that Vietnam Veterans Against the War will forward a copy of this resolution to the Speaker and the Clerk of the US House of Representatives, to Representative John Conyers, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, to Representative Bob Filner, Chair of the House Veteran Affairs Committee, to the various state and federal veterans organizations, to other peace and justice organizations, other military organizations, and to the news media.
Implementation: By the VVAW Banished Veterans Defense Committee established by this resolution, by the National Office and by all interested members and local chapters.
Jan A. Ruhman was an activist member of VVAW in the 1970's in Los Angeles and Southern California and is the San Diego Contact for VVAW. He is a founding member of the Banished Veterans Defense Committee. He can be reached at jan.ruhman@vetspeak.org or at 858-361-6273.