00:00Madam Secretary, how many United States military veterans have you deported?
00:05Sir, we have not deported U.S. citizens or military veterans.
00:10I don't believe you served in the military. I haven't either. But I think you and I can agree
00:14that as Americans, we owe everything to those who have served our country in uniform,
00:19particularly those who have served in combat. Do you agree with that?
00:22Sir, I believe that people that are in this United States that are citizens have legal status here.
00:27Madam Secretary, we are joined on Zoom by a gentleman named Seijoon Park.
00:32He is a United States Army combat veteran who was shot twice while serving our country in Panama in 1989.
00:40Like many veterans, he struggled with PTSD and substance abuse after his service.
00:45He was arrested in the 1990s for some minor drug offenses, nothing serious.
00:49He never hurt anyone besides himself, and he's been clean and sober for 14 years.
00:54He is a combat veteran, a Purple Heart recipient.
00:58He has sacrificed more for this country than most people ever have.
01:02Earlier this year, you deported him to Korea, a country he hasn't lived in since he was seven years old.
01:09Will you join me in thanking Mr. Park for his service to our country?
01:13Sir, I'm grateful for every single person that has served our country and follows our laws.
01:17Can you please tell Mr. Park why you deported him?
01:19Every one of them needs to be enforced.
01:21But you understand that many veterans struggle with PTSD.
01:24Many veterans struggle with substance abuse challenges.
01:28This man took two bullets for our country.
01:31You have broad authority, by the way, as secretary, to issue humanitarian parole, to do deferred action.
01:38Will you commit to at least looking at Mr. Park's case to see if you can help him find a pathway back to this country that he sacrificed so much for?
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