Jose Barco, a Venezuelan-born US army veteran who received a Purple Heart for his service in Iraq, was deported to Mexico early Friday morning from an immigration detention facility in Florence, Arizona. The deportation occurred at 4am, according to Arizona state representative Raquel Terán.
Barco's family and legal team were not notified of the deportation plans. Anna Stout, a volunteer on Barco's defence team, expressed frustration over the lack of communication. As of Friday evening, Barco's family had not received confirmation of his location, though Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stated he was deported to Nogales, Mexico.
Barco, 39, served two tours in Iraq and was injured by an improvised explosive device, earning him a Purple Heart and a Combat Infantry Badge. Despite enlisting at age 17 and submitting paperwork for citizenship, his application was never processed. His legal team says his former commander attested to helping him complete the application.
In October 2009, Barco was sentenced to 52 years in prison for attempted murder after firing a gun at a house party in Colorado Springs, hitting a 19-year-old woman in the leg. He was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder at the time. He was released on parole in January after serving 15 years due to good behaviour, but was immediately detained by ICE.
An immigration judge denied Barco's relief appeals in September, ordering his removal to Venezuela, Cuba, or Mexico. Barco's father was a political dissident in Cuba, forcing the family to flee to Venezuela in the 1980s. They later entered the US with asylum and obtained lawful permanent resident status.
