As an immigrant to the United States and as one who went on to serve my adopted country in its military, I am always interested in the stories of the men and women who do likewise.
They are the stories of young people who come to this country because they view America as the land of opportunity, freedom, and hope.
Often they leave their native countries—not a casual decision—because of economic, political or religious reasons, oftentimes under desperate circumstances.
The vast majority of our immigrants come to our shores the formal and “proper” way after years of waiting, scrutiny and unending paperwork, frustration and red tape.
Sometimes they arrive at our doorstep suddenly, tragically and en-masse, without having had the opportunity to follow the “proper procedures,” usually because of a major political, military or natural upheaval or disaster at home.
I witnessed such a tragic event up-close and personal almost 35 years ago at one of our South Vietnamese Refugee Camps in Florida when the fall of Saigon and of South Vietnam precipitated one of the largest influxes of refugees our nation has seen.
Finally, there are always a few who do not follow the proper procedures…
Regardless of how they arrive here, many of these young people join the U.S. military out of patriotism, in a genuine show of gratitude and loyalty to their new country, as a way for economic, educational or professional advancement and, yes, as a quicker way to become U.S. citizens.
Some, however, whether they came to our country legally or not, never experience the joy and the honor of becoming an American citizen because they make the ultimate sacrifice for a country that is not yet their own.
You see, an enemy’s bullet, a grenade or a roadside explosive device does not distinguish between a native American and a “green-card” American.
I am thinking of Omar Mora, 28, a native of Ecuador, father to a 2 ½-year-old girl, who enlisted in the Army in 2004 and deployed to Iraq in July 2006. After nearly 15 months in combat, during which his patrol was hit twice by roadside bombs, Mora gave his life for his soon-to-be country in September, 2007.
I say “soon-to-be” because at the time of his death, Mora still had only a green card. He never became what he wanted most in his life, a U.S. citizen.
At his funeral in Webster, Texas, “a federal clerk showed up holding papers that made Mora an American citizen.”
I am also thinking of Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta, a more complicated and controversial case.
At a young age, Rafael Peralta came to the United States from Mexico—some say he came here illegally.
Regardless, as soon as he had his green card, Peralta joined the U.S. Marine Corps and became a U.S. citizen. Soon after his enlistment, Peralta deployed to Iraq ending up in Anbar province.
On November 15, 2004, in the infamous town of Fallujah, Peralta unselfishly and heroically gave his life for his newly adopted country by, after being mortally wounded, smothering an enemy grenade with his body and thereby saving the lives of six of his fellow Marines.
For his “undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty,” Sergeant Peralta was nominated for the Medal of Honor by the Commandant of the Marine Corps and by the Secretary of the Navy.
While the Medal of Honor has thus far been denied to Peralta, he did receive the Navy’s second highest award for heroism, the Navy Cross.
The reasons why Peralta has not been awarded the Medal of Honor are, as I said, complex and controversial.
A May, 2009, Air Force Times article, “Death before this honor,” points out the following:
After Sgt. Rafael Peralta was denied the Medal of Honor in 2008—a case that drew heavy scrutiny, including use of forensic evidence—questions were raised about whether Peralta’s onetime status as an illegal immigrant played a part in the decision.
We may never know exactly why Sgt. Peralta has not been awarded the Medal of Honor, but we certainly hope that his long-time-ago immigration status has not played a role.
Today, the Los Angeles Times reports on a similar story.
It is about Ekaterine Bautista, a 34-year-old mother who, as so many other patriotic Americans did, joined the Army just days after September 11.
Today, out of the Army and living in Los Angeles, Bautista was looking forward to finally becoming a U.S. citizen on March 31 when, just five days before her “big day,” she received a call from federal officials telling her that her naturalization ceremony had been cancelled pending further investigation.
Apparently, her past had caught up with her. A past that includes being an illegal immigrant from Mexico and enlisting in the U.S. Army using the identity of an aunt, a U.S. citizen who lived in Mexico.
But a past that also includes six years of service in the Army. Service that included a 13-month tour of duty in Iraq where, on June 8, 2004, while performing guard duty at a base in Baqubah, a car driven by a suicide bomber approached the gate and exploded killing Bautista’s commanding officer and two Iraqi civilians. Bautista herself was knocked off her feet. Before tending to herself, she helped her wounded fellow soldiers and Iraqi citizens. Bautista has been commended for her actions.
According to the Times:
Eugene Fidell, who teaches military justice at Yale Law School, said that enlisting under a false identity is a crime and is taken very seriously by the government. “It’s deeply frowned upon,” he said. “It really is fraud.”
But in some cases, he said, if the person served honorably, the government should exercise discretion and grant citizenship.
There have been many other similar examples of our immigrants’ zeal to serve their new country and to become full-fledged citizens. The vast majority of them have done so “the proper way.”
As a matter of fact, since Sept. 11, 2001, over 58,000 members of the armed forces have been naturalized.
On Friday, President Obama hosted a naturalization ceremony at the White House during which 24 servicemembers, natives of 16 different countries, became American citizens.
The President said:
Some of you came to America as children, holding tight to your parents’ hands as you arrived in a new world,” he said. “Some of you came as adults, leaving everything you knew behind as you pursued a new life. While your stories are your own, today, we celebrate the common spirit that lives within each of you — the spirit that has renewed and strengthened America for more than two centuries.
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano added:
It takes a very special individual to serve and defend a nation that is not yet your own, but that is what each of you are doing, that is testimony to your strong sense of patriotism.
I second that.
