Throughout his adult life, Diego was able to travel with his
military ID. “It’s funny cause I’ve been to Germany, I’ve
been to Canada, I’ve been to Afghanistan. I’ve been to a
bunch of places and I always traveled with my military ID
and my orders. But now they’re questioning me.” He
recently took the additional step of applying for a U.S.
passport in the hopes of fortifying his position as a citizen
and reducing the scrutiny he faces at the border.
Crossing the border just to visit family had become an
ordeal filled with fear. The constant uncertainty, interrogations, and interminable vetting have taken a toll on Diego,
whose sacrifices in Afghanistan left him with PTSD. He is
constantly worried about what would happen if he was
placed in immigration detention or wrongfully removed. His
wife would lose her green card and also face removal,
leaving their three daughters—all U.S. citizens born in
Texas—abandoned.
Threatening Diego with removal isn’t just a waste of
resources. It could actively harm public safety in the
community where he lives: it would leave the county jail
where he works without one of its officers.
No one questioned Diego’s citizenship when he was saving
the lives of his fellow infantry platoon members, but today
things have changed. After a taxing court proceeding, Diego
finally received a U.S. passport, and a measure of certainty,
in May 2019.
III. Denial and revocation of documentation of U.S. citizenship
133
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