After Dark In The Smoke Pit With Tech

A message from Ramon Castro,  we spoke with him and decided to have a live stream podcast interview  on June 28th 2021 in order to bring awareness to his causes! 

Ivan Ocon thought he would be headed back to civilian life as a U.S. citizen after serving the U.S. Army in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

Ocon, who was born in Mexico, came to the United States as a legal permanent resident in 1985 to reunite with his mother. He joined the Army in 1997, and his recruiter assured him that enlisting would make him a U.S. citizen. When Ocon received orders of deployment to Iraq he was given a pre-deployment checklist to help him get his affairs in order. Confirming his immigration status wasn’t on that list, because citizenship is not required for overseas military service.

Ocon deployed as a noncitizen. He figured if he made it home alive, he would finish the naturalization process.

Instead, Ocon was convicted of a crime and jailed in 2007, released for good behavior after nine years, and summarily deported. Today, he is stranded in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, separated from his family and fighting to come home. 

Councilmen Ramon Castro is aware of the many hardships that we (veterans) face.

One issue in particular has to do with our "Green Card Soldiers". Many of our service members are immigrants that came to this country as children, legally. They see America as their home and serve in the military as sign gratitude for the opportunities our great nation has provided for them and their families.

Unfortunately, for one reason or another these men and women never complete the process to become naturalized American Citizens. Once they exit active duty they are exposed to the world as civilians. If they run into legal problems (which the possibilities are high)  they run the chance of getting deported from this country.  As you are well aware, many of these Veterans suffer from injuries, including PTSD. With these mental ailments it is very likely that they will at one point or another face legal action. Once they are deported they return to their country of origin, even after serving honorably in the United States Armed Forces.

Our goal is to bring national attention to this situation. We plan to walk the entire length of the US/ Mexico border,  crossing at key cities to visit Veteran shelters and homes of deported Veterans. We have limited funds to help our deported Veterans with supplies and other minor needs.

We hope to bring national attention to their needs. and have three simple requests from our government.

1) Issue executive order granting citizenship to all active duty "green card soldiers" who have served a minimum of 180 days of active duty.

2) Immediately halt the deportation of American Veterans until their citizenship has been processed and they can be prosecuted as American Citizens.

3) Begin the process to bring home American Veterans who have been deported worldwide.

Our walk along the US/ Mexican border will begin at Friendship Park at the border in San Diego. We expect to walk for approximately 45 days the distance of roughly 1500 miles.

I will update you with any future plans as they come.

Once again, thank you for all that you do.

Sincerely,

Ramon Castro
Sgt/ USMC
CEO, American Veterans Homefront Initiative

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