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.
00:13But I think you and I can agree that 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?
00:23Sir, I believe that people that are in the United States that are citizens have legal status here.
00:28Madam Secretary, we are joined on Zoom by a gentleman named Sejun 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.
00:50He never hurt anyone besides himself, and he's been clean and sober for 14 years.
00:55He 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.
01:17And can you please tell Mr. Park why you deported him?
01:19Why you deported him?
01:20Every 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.
01:29This man took two bullets for our country.
01:32You 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?
01:46I will absolutely look at his case, but I want you to remember.
01:50Madam Secretary, the man behind you, please stand up, sir.
01:53His name is Jim Brown from Troy, Missouri.
01:56He is a Navy combat veteran who served our country in the Gulf War.
02:01He's married to a woman named Donna who came to our country legally from Ireland when she was 11 years old.
02:07She has lived here for 48 years.
02:10Because of you, Jim's wife Donna has been in prison for the last four months.
02:15She did not come here illegally.
02:17And she has never committed any crime other than writing two bad checks totaling $80 ten years ago.
02:25She is currently in prison and facing deportation.
02:29Ms. Noam, will you thank Mr. Brown for his service to our country?
02:33Thank you, Mr. Brown, for your service to our country.
02:35So what possible explanation can there be for locking up his wife for four months when she has committed no crime other than writing a couple of bad checks for $80?
02:45Sir, it is not my prerogative, my latitude, or my job to pick and choose which laws in this country get enforced in which one's job.
02:52You have broad discretion as the secretary.
02:54You can issue parole.
02:55You can do all kinds of things.
02:57But you're choosing not to.
02:58Will you commit, again, to just reviewing Donna's case and reuniting this combat veteran with his beloved wife who also loves this country?
03:07I will review the case.
03:08Now, Madam Secretary, you've already heard the story of Lance Corporal Alejandro Barranco, the United States Marine veteran who is behind you, who also has two brothers who are United States Marines.
03:22Will you thank Lance Corporal Barranco for his service?
03:25Thank you for your service.
03:26His father, Narcisco Barranco, is a landscaper in California who has lived peacefully in our country for 30 years and has no criminal record.
03:35Last spring, while he was mowing the lawn at an IHOP, ICE agents tackled him in the street and imprisoned him for weeks.
03:42A peaceful, hardworking man who raised three sons to be United States Marines.
03:48We need men of that character in this country.
03:52Again, as secretary, you have broad discretion.
03:56Will you consider Lance Corporal Barranco's father for parole in place to stay in our country,
04:02owing to the fact that he has contributed to our country by raising three United States Marines?
04:07This is an opportunity to remind everybody that every person that's in this country illegally has an opportunity to voluntarily go home and come back the right way.
04:17Follow our laws and we will facilitate that.
04:21He has been living here peacefully, doing his job for 30 years.
04:24You have discretion.
04:25You are choosing not to use it.
04:26Madam Secretary, you promised America that you would go after the worst of the worst.
04:31But these people are not the worst of the worst.
04:33A Purple Heart recipient, a military spouse, the father of three Marines.
04:38And it's not just veterans and military families.
04:41You are locking up and deporting children with cancer, mothers with babies in the NICU, United States citizens.
04:48There are many problems with your leadership, but the biggest problem is this.
04:53You don't seem to know how to tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys.
04:58Go after the bad guys.
05:00Go after the terrorists.
05:01Do not go after veterans, Marines, children, United States citizens.
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