Congressman Urges U.S. Governors To Pardon Deported Veterans

WASHINGTON - Congressman Vicente Gonzalez sent a letter to every U.S. state governor calling on them to pardon veterans who are currently in deportation proceedings or have already been deported. The letter comes after the congressman hosted a roundtable with leaders from veteran service organizations, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Congressman Mark Takano (CA-41) to discuss the Repatriate Our Patriots Act, a piece of bipartisan legislation that would bring home deported veterans and expedite their citizenship process.

"There is already precedent for pardoning our patriots," Congressman Gonzalez said. "There is no reason why other governors should not exercise their constitutional authority to help honorably discharged veterans, many of whom are highly decorated and were unjustly deported for minor crimes."

Last year, California Governor, Jerry Brown, pardoned three honorably discharged veterans who were deported to Mexico after completing sentences for minor crimes. Hector Barajas Varela, one of the men pardoned, founded and currently operates the Deported Veterans Support House in Tijuana, Mexico. Congressman Gonzalez joined members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to visit the Support House last year.