Miguel Perez, who came to the US legally as a child and served two tours in Afghanistan, said he was mistreated after his service, during which he said he suffered brain injuries and developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"I am not a victim, but I am a witness to the policies of mass incarceration and mass deportation," he said Tuesday, according a translation of remarks he made in Spanish. "I am not a victim, but I am a witness to the way veterans are treated, disrespected and thrown away after they sacrificed for the nation."
His deportation follows a decision by US authorities to deny Perez's citizenship application because of a 2010 felony drug conviction, despite his service.
Speaking in Tijuana, Mexico, on Tuesday, Perez said: "I will continue to struggle, not only for myself, but for other veterans and others who have been separated from their families by the US's unjust immigration laws. It is my duty to continue this fight for equity".
