By David Bariu left his home in Kenya in 1998 to come to the United States on a student visa. The next year he joined the U.S. Army, but his recruiter was court-martialed for recruiting non-permanent residents.
Bariu was deported in 2008 for almost 14 years, and he returned to the U.S in 2022.
He and other veterans met at the American Legion Post 354 in Buena Park on Saturday to share their stories and unveil a mural painted in support of deported veterans.
Robert Vivar, executive director of Unified U.S. Deported Veterans Resource Center, said the murals were first created as part of the Leave No One Behind Mural Project in 2021 to remind the Biden administration to keep its promise to bring deported veterans home.
The mural, titled “Deported Veterans Mural” by artist Javier Salazar Rojas, depicts service members in both service and combat uniforms.
Several of the formerly deported veterans signed their names on the mural after the unveiling.
The Deported Veterans Mural painted by Javier Salazar Rojas unveiled at American Legion Post 354. Photo credit: Edward Fernandez
“If I’m good enough to die and kill for the United States, I’m good enough to live in the United States,” U.S. Army veteran Hector Lopez said.
In 2002, Lopez served a four-year prison sentence for possession of marijuana and was then deported for 17 years.
“Most [veterans] are deported because of felonies. In 1996, Congress made felonies punishable by deportation. They took discretion away from the judges,” Lopez said.
Now that marijuana has been legalized in the state of California, Lopez’s charges were vacated. However, in order to gain citizenship he needs his record expunged.
Lopez is currently on humanitarian parole which allows him to remain in the states. This temporary permit was approved before President Donald Trump took office.
“A lot of people make mistakes with self-medication because they’re messed up with PTSD when they come back,” Lopez’s wife, Lupita said. “Without any family support it’s hard.”
Due to the 2025 Securing Our Borders Executive Order, humanitarian parole was cancelled for other immigrant groups.
Lopez said as a part of the ImmVet program, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security program, which helps veterans apply for re-entry into the U.S. and provides access to benefits, he is afforded more protections.
However, he is still afraid that if he leaves the U.S. he won’t be let back in.
Now that there is a new president in office, Vivar said he wants the mural project to serve as a call to action to put pressure on elected officials.
“There’s over 40,000 non-citizens currently serving and anything can trigger deportation,” Vivar said. “Now what we’re asking for is for the reintroduction of HR 4569 [the Veteran Service Recognition Act].”
The bill promises to give veterans permanent resident status, expedite the citizenship process and create a committee to review cases of veterans who have been deported or are in the removal process.
Congressman Lou Correa of California’s 46th District recognizing a formerly deported Vietnam veteran with a pin. Photo credit: Edward Fernandez
Congressman Lou Correa of California’s 46th district, who was in attendance at the event, gifted two formerly deported Vietnam veterans pins for their service.
“I want to embarrass Congress into doing the right thing,” Correa said.
