Pennsylvania immigrants often encounter various challenges as they adapt to new lifestyles after emigrating from their countries of origin. In fact, sometimes, someone has been living and working in the United States for months (or even years) when a sudden legal problem regarding his or her status arises. It’s stressful when such incidents occur. A recent situation was particularly egregious because the person who was locked up in an immigration detention center was a U.S. citizen and reportedly had the identification to prove it when he was taken into custody.
The young man not only is a citizen, born and raised in the U.S., he is a military veteran who served with the marine corps in Afghanistan. He suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. His family says that there have been numerous occasions where he has disappeared and had no idea where he’d been or what he’d done when he was located.
Trespassing charges were filed against the veteran, to which he pleaded guilty. The incident occurred when he stepped onto the heliport at a local hospital. When jail officials released him, he was picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers even though he is said to have shown them valid ID, including a U.S. passport.
Rather than freeing the man, ICE officials placed him in immigration detention for three days and tried to have him deported. His mother says it is an outrage that U.S. military veteran who is a citizen of the United States could be treated so unjustly after risking his life to fight for his country. There may be a Pennsylvania immigrant or citizen facing similar complicated issues, in which case, it may be helpful to reach out for experienced legal support.