When you hear stories like this, it feels deeply unfair. A veteran who fought in Iraq, put his life on the line for the United States, now says the government is taking away the very benefits he depends on. He is also facing deportation, which makes it even worse.
This is not just one man’s story. According to a study from the University of California-Berkeley School of Law, many deported veterans across the world are struggling to access basic benefits like health care. These are men and women who once wore the uniform but now live in exile.
What the Uc-Berkeley study found
The study released in April paints a very troubling picture. It found that deported veterans face huge barriers in accessing VA services, even though the law is supposed to guarantee them.
Here are two main problems highlighted:
- Humanitarian parole: This program allows deported veterans to temporarily return to the U.S. for care. But applications are often denied, and travel costs are very high.
- VA foreign medical program: This allows some veterans overseas to get medical treatment. But it only covers conditions already recognized as service-connected, and many veterans are deported before their disability claims are even processed.
The report warned: “The law promises veterans access to the benefits and care many need to survive, no matter where they are in the world. To breathe life into this promise, we urgently need change. Otherwise, deported veterans will continue to suffer and die in exile.”
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Why veterans are being deported
A lot of people do not realize this, but not all service members automatically become U.S. citizens. The Immigration and Nationality Act allows non-citizens who serve to apply for citizenship, but many run into “bureaucratic and logistical obstacles,” according to a Government Accountability Office report.
- Around 94,000 veterans do not have citizenship today.
- If they commit certain crimes, even minor ones, they can be deported despite their military service.
- Between 2013 and 2018, at least 250 veterans were under threat of deportation, and 92 were actually deported.
This shows the system is broken. Someone who fought for America can still be forced out of the country and stripped of benefits
What veterans themselves are saying
The veteran facing deportation put it simply: “I fought in Iraq, and now they’re taking away my benefits.” For him and many others, the frustration is not just about losing money. It is about losing access to health care, housing assistance, and the dignity that comes with being treated as someone who served.
Eric Provost, a Navy veteran who co-authored the UC-Berkeley report, explained it clearly: “They don’t have access to things like VA health care, which they may be entitled to. A year just isn’t enough to ensure continuity of care and that they’re getting the treatment they need.”
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What can be done to fix this
Experts say there are solutions, but they require political will. The report suggests:
- Granting humanitarian parole more easily
- Expanding the VA foreign medical program to cover more conditions
- Removing the requirement for veterans to pay for treatment upfront
There is also a bill in Congress called the Veteran Service Recognition Act. It aims to fix some of these problems, make naturalization easier for service members, and track the number of veterans who have been deported.
So far, lawmakers have not voted on it. For now, veterans caught in this situation feel like they are being abandoned.
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