US Army Veteran and Purple Heart Recipient Deported to Mexico
In a controversial move, a decorated US Army veteran has been forcibly removed from the United States. Jose Barco, who was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries sustained in Iraq, was deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to Mexico on Friday morning.
The deportation occurred at approximately 4am from a detention facility in Florence, Arizona, according to Arizona state representative Raquel Terán. Barco's defence team and family were reportedly not given prior notice of the removal, adding to their distress.
A Life of Service and Subsequent Conviction
Barco's story is one of complex immigration and military service. Born in Venezuela, his family were originally political refugees who fled Cuba in the 1980s. They entered the United States when he was four years old and were granted permanent resident status.
Demonstrating his commitment to his adopted country, Barco enlisted in the US Army at the age of 17. He served two tours in Iraq, where he was injured by an improvised explosive device. For his combat service and injuries, he was honoured with both a Purple Heart and a Combat Infantry Badge.
Despite his service, his path to citizenship was reportedly thwarted when his application was lost during processing. This administrative failure would have profound consequences later in his life.
In 2009, Barco was convicted of attempted murder after firing a gun at a house party in Colorado Springs, an act his defence links to his struggle with PTSD. One of the bullets struck a 19-year-old woman in the leg. He was sentenced to 52 years in prison but was released on parole in January of this year after serving 15 years due to good behaviour.
Detention and Deportation
Upon his early release from prison, Barco was immediately detained by ICE and transferred to a detention centre in Colorado. His legal team filed appeals for relief, including an application for asylum, but these were denied by an immigration judge in September. The judge ordered his removal from the US to either Venezuela, Cuba, or Mexico.
Anna Stout, a volunteer on Barco's defence team, revealed the distressing lack of communication surrounding his deportation. She stated that his family was not initially informed of his destination and that Barco himself was unable to contact them before the process began.
An online detainee locator system confirmed that Barco had been removed from the country, though his specific whereabouts were unknown to his legal representatives at the time. ICE confirmed his deportation to Nogales, Mexico.
"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."
