US Army Veteran and Purple Heart Recipient Forcibly Removed
In a controversial move, a decorated US army veteran has been deported from the United States. Jose Barco, who received a Purple Heart for injuries sustained in Iraq, was removed from an immigration detention facility in Florence, Arizona, on Friday morning.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed the deportation, which occurred at approximately 4am local time. The veteran was sent to Nogales, Mexico, following a judge's removal order.
A Life Marked by Conflict and Service
Barco's life story is one of displacement and service. His family, originally from Cuba, fled to Venezuela in the 1980s after his father, a political dissident, spoke out against communism. Barco was born in Venezuela, and his family entered the United States when he was four years old, obtaining permanent resident status.
Demonstrating his commitment to his adopted country, Barco enlisted in the US Army at just 17 years of age. He served two tours in Iraq, where he was injured by an improvised explosive device. For his combat service and injuries, he was awarded the prestigious Purple Heart, as well as a Combat Infantry Badge.
Despite his service, Barco never obtained US citizenship. His defence team reported that paperwork he filed for citizenship was lost during processing.
Conviction, Detention, and Secretive Deportation
In 2009, Barco's life took a drastic turn. He was convicted of attempted murder for firing a gun at a house party in Colorado Springs, an act committed while he was reportedly suffering from PTSD. One of the bullets struck a 19-year-old woman in the leg. He was sentenced to 52 years in prison.
After serving 15 years, Barco, now 39, was released on parole in January of this year due to good behaviour. However, upon his release, ICE immediately detained him and transferred him to a detention centre in Colorado.
His legal appeals for relief, including an application for asylum, were denied by an immigration judge in September. The judge ordered his removal to either Venezuela, Cuba, or Mexico, but did not set a specific date for the deportation.
The actual removal was carried out without warning. His defence team and family were not notified of the plans. Anna Stout, a volunteer on his defence team, stated that an online locator system showed Barco had been removed from the country, but his specific whereabouts were initially unknown to his loved ones.
"This has been incredibly difficult for his family," Stout told Denver 7. "And as you can imagine right now, to add insult to injury, not only are they dealing with the weight of all of that, but also the uncertainty about what's happening to their loved one."
