Last month, I received the devastating news that had been feared since 2017. The family of Army combat veteran Miguel Perez Jr., who was deported to Mexico from Wisconsin, informed me that he had died unexpectedly while visiting family there in October.
Perez Jr.'s deportation story is a haunting one - a year-long battle that culminated in his being sent back to the country where he was born, leaving behind everything he knew. The then-28-year-old veteran's struggle garnered national headlines and advocacy efforts, ultimately leading to the successful lobbying of Governor JB Pritzker for a pardon for his drug conviction.
With this pardon, Perez Jr. became eligible to become a U.S. citizen and return home in 2019. He used his newfound citizenship as an opportunity to speak out on behalf of fellow deported veterans, becoming a skilled storyteller who advocated tirelessly for their rights.
Perez Jr.'s family was visibly shaken during Tuesday's event where elected officials paid tribute to him, presenting gifts to his family, including U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia with an American flag and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth sharing a framed photo from her office visit to Mexico in 2019.
Duckworth has been a vocal advocate for Perez Jr.'s cause since his deportation, even celebrating Veterans Day in Tijuana, Mexico, alongside dozens of other deported veterans in 2019. She praised Perez Jr., saying that despite experiencing extreme hardship and PTSD due to his traumatic brain injuries, he chose to continue fighting for this country.
Perez Jr.'s tragic story highlights the human cost of deportation policies, which disproportionately affect military veterans like him who risk their lives for this nation. Despite the efforts of lawmakers such as Duckworth, Perez Jr.'s deportation could have been avoided if former President George W. Bush had fulfilled his promise to expedite naturalization for active-duty military members.
Daycee Perez, Miguel's oldest daughter, shared stories about her father's struggles with PTSD and depression after his return from deployment, saying that having a father crippled by PTSD forced her to grow up quickly and forgave him. She described the pain of losing a loved one who had been raising her as a single parent, highlighting the invisible pain of not being able to express their grief.
Perez Jr.'s legacy continues to inspire others, including his family's message delivered during Tuesday's event, where they read from a poem that captured the depth of their loss. "What voice emerges from our lips that won’t announce your death? / Your silence, the invisible pain of not having you," was one poignant phrase recited by Miguel's father.
As we mourn the loss of this courageous veteran, his family asks us to remember the voice that will never be heard again - but also to continue fighting for the rights of others who have been left behind.
Perez Jr.'s deportation story is a haunting one - a year-long battle that culminated in his being sent back to the country where he was born, leaving behind everything he knew. The then-28-year-old veteran's struggle garnered national headlines and advocacy efforts, ultimately leading to the successful lobbying of Governor JB Pritzker for a pardon for his drug conviction.
With this pardon, Perez Jr. became eligible to become a U.S. citizen and return home in 2019. He used his newfound citizenship as an opportunity to speak out on behalf of fellow deported veterans, becoming a skilled storyteller who advocated tirelessly for their rights.
Perez Jr.'s family was visibly shaken during Tuesday's event where elected officials paid tribute to him, presenting gifts to his family, including U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia with an American flag and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth sharing a framed photo from her office visit to Mexico in 2019.
Duckworth has been a vocal advocate for Perez Jr.'s cause since his deportation, even celebrating Veterans Day in Tijuana, Mexico, alongside dozens of other deported veterans in 2019. She praised Perez Jr., saying that despite experiencing extreme hardship and PTSD due to his traumatic brain injuries, he chose to continue fighting for this country.
Perez Jr.'s tragic story highlights the human cost of deportation policies, which disproportionately affect military veterans like him who risk their lives for this nation. Despite the efforts of lawmakers such as Duckworth, Perez Jr.'s deportation could have been avoided if former President George W. Bush had fulfilled his promise to expedite naturalization for active-duty military members.
Daycee Perez, Miguel's oldest daughter, shared stories about her father's struggles with PTSD and depression after his return from deployment, saying that having a father crippled by PTSD forced her to grow up quickly and forgave him. She described the pain of losing a loved one who had been raising her as a single parent, highlighting the invisible pain of not being able to express their grief.
Perez Jr.'s legacy continues to inspire others, including his family's message delivered during Tuesday's event, where they read from a poem that captured the depth of their loss. "What voice emerges from our lips that won’t announce your death? / Your silence, the invisible pain of not having you," was one poignant phrase recited by Miguel's father.
As we mourn the loss of this courageous veteran, his family asks us to remember the voice that will never be heard again - but also to continue fighting for the rights of others who have been left behind.
this is so sad 
u can't even imagine how hard it is for these ppl 2 lose a loved one like dat after goin thru so much already... deported veteran, fought 4 his life, got pardon, thought he was finally free... but then goes back 2 Mexico, and now hes gone 
u gotta feel 4 perez jr's family & all the other deportees out there 
its not rite that ppl like him are treated dis way, riskin their lives 4 this country & dis is how they get repaid? 
I'm literally crying thinking about Perez Jr.'s story... it's just so heartbreaking how he went through all that for a drug conviction, and even after getting pardoned and becoming eligible for US citizenship, his deportation still happened 
. It's like the system is broken, you know? 
And to think he was fighting for others' rights too, it's just... *sigh* 
I'm so glad Duckworth has been a vocal advocate for him, though 
. We gotta keep pushing for change and making sure no one else goes through what Perez Jr. did 
. His legacy lives on, and we should be remembering his voice (and the pain he left behind) to keep moving forward 
.
. It's indeed disheartening to acknowledge that former President Bush's promise of expedited naturalization for active-duty military members went unfulfilled 
. We must continue to advocate for their rights and work towards creating a more compassionate and inclusive immigration system 
.
. It's crazy that his story was almost forgotten until now... hope we can learn from it & make some real changes 
. And now we're supposed to believe that if George W. Bush had done something differently, everything would've turned out okay? That's easy for us to say now, but it's not exactly clear-cut, is it?
. the system is broken, but at least we can take solace in knowing that people like Perez Jr.'s wife and kids are still out here fighting for justice and human rights 
. we gotta keep pushing for change so that no one else has to go through what he went through 
... I mean, can you believe it? 
... I don't think this is right at all 
And it's crazy that he had to deal with PTSD and depression too, that's just not right... 
. It's like we're losing an unsung hero, someone who risked everything to serve his country and this is the thanks he gets? Not cool, bro...not cool 
. As we remember him, let's not forget that there are many more stories like his out there waiting to be told 
. We should all take a moment to think about what we can do to help make our immigration system more just and compassionate 
. I mean, think about it... these guys are putting their lives on the line for this country, and then they're sent back? It's just not right 
. They've been through so much trauma, PTSD, depression... and now they're gone 
Like, what took them so long? It's not like it was rocket science 
. The US needs to start valuing its military veterans more and treating them with respect 
.
. We need to create a system where veterans can come home without fear of being deported again 
. It's time for change!