One of our most combat-decorated American heroes, U.S. Army veteran. Last year, he took the extraordinary step of self-deporting from the U.S. after living there for 50 years. This decision was made in the wake of a pending deportation order due to his previous history with drug addiction. The now 12-year-old veteran, whose full name is Park, was initially adopted to the U.S. from South Korea when he was 7 years old. Against the backdrop of increasing attacks on immigrants, his departure speaks to the troubled intersection of military service, immigration law, and personal struggles.
Park’s journey here in America started with his family immigrating to the U.S. decades ago. Upon finishing high school, he chose to join the Army out of a sense of duty and patriotism. His military service included Operation Just Cause, the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989. During this operation from the helicopter, Park was caught in an intense, life-threatening situation. During an exchange of gunfire with Panamanian troops, he was shot in the back.
In recognition of Park’s bravery and sacrifice, he became a recipient of the Purple Heart. This prestigious honor is awarded to service members who are wounded in action. After his recovery, he received an honorable discharge from the Army. Though his time in uniform was historic, the years after service would be filled with tragedy and hardship.
In 2009, Park was arrested in New York when he went to purchase crack cocaine from a dealer. Substance abuse issues ultimately resulted in an incarceration that spanned more than five years. Though these obstacles have set him back, he considered his time in the service an important part of who he is.
Park again found herself on the frontlines when the Trump administration ramped up its immigration enforcement and anti-immigrant rhetoric. Due to his previous interactions with the law, Park was a prime target under these policies. Later that summer, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials served him a deportation order. They claimed that he would be subject to detention and deportation should he not depart of his own accord.
Park’s decision would be a heart-wrenching one. By migrating, he fled the only country he had ever known to escape imminent detention and deportation. He bid farewell to his friends, children, and especially to his 85-year-old mother, who is battling dementia and “kind of doesn’t know really what’s going on,” as Park expressed.
The emotional impact of his leaving is just as heavy for Park. He reflected on the moments he would miss, saying, “I won’t be there for a funeral, like my daughter getting married – just, there’s a lot of things connected with it. I definitely know that.”
As he got ready to go, Park struggled with the reality and the insane nature of what was happening to him. “I was in disbelief until the last minute – reality is hitting real hard,” he said. The weight of leaving a life that he’d cultivated for many decades was heavy on him.
Park’s case is representative of countless immigrants who have worn the U.S. uniform only to find themselves serving an unexpected consequence of a mistake made long ago. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for ICE, emphasized the agency’s commitment to enforcing immigration laws: “If you come to our country and break our laws, we will find you, arrest you and deport you. That’s a promise.”