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Marine Veteran Faces DeportationDespite his service to the U.S., Carlos Solorzano doesn’t have American citizenshipRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - Carlos Solorzano considers himself an American. “As far as I am concerned I grew up here,” said Solorzano, while touching up color on a client inside the Primal Instinct tattoo parlor. “I speak better English than I do Spanish.” He adds that his stepfather, an American, taught him what it’s like to “be a patriot,” and inspired him to be a marine. Solorzano was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 2007. After six years in the service, the 27-year-old Mexico native could be deported. “It feels pretty insulting to be honest with you,” said Solorzano. In 2006, while he was in West Virgina, Solorzano got into an argument with a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO). “I think I said a few things that embarrassed him and he ended up leaving,” said Solorzano. “His friend came out, someone I didn't even know, had no prior relationship with, and started yelling at me and my friends. [He] said we were being disrespectful, [and] we were out of line.” According to Solorzano, the man continued to approach them and he began to feel threatened. “I thought I took action to defend myself,” he paused and inked up his needle before continuing. “But according to the judge that was an inappropriate action.” The man Solorzano fought got a busted nose and lip. He pressed charges. Solorzano was sentenced to a year in prison, but because he was an active duty Marine he was only required to serve for two days in jail. Solorzano said he thought the incident was behind him, until December when he and his fiancée were returning from vacation in Cabo. “We made a list of all the things that we would have to sell, or I would be selling, and kind of planned that if this happened, that if he went back to the immigration officer and he detained him,” said Solorzano’s fiancée Danielle White. Solorzano isn’t the only veteran at risk of being deportation. About five percent of all active-duty military members are not U.S. citizens. The bill would ensure due process for all non-citizen veterans and would require authorization of Homeland Security before they are deported. Solorzano hopes this bill would help others in the same situation. “A lot of times people don't get their citizenship while they are in the military, and then what happens is after they get out of the military the Homeland Security folks will come after them and try and deport them sometimes,” said immigration attorney Margaret Stock, who is an Army vet herself. “Because it’s immigration there is no right to a free attorney if you can’t afford one. So most of the people who the government is trying to deport don’t have attorneys because they can't afford to hire somebody.” In the past two years the U.S. has broken deportation records, deporting over 700,000 people. Over 90 percent of those are from Latin America. Solorzarno said he’s in still in Alaska today because, unlike many other non-citizen veterans, he could afford an attorney. “So what I got from this is if you can pay your way then you can stay,” said Solorzano. “If you can’t its too bad.” Freedom, this soldier learned, isn’t free. |
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Patricia said on Wednesday, Mar 6 at 11:45 PM
He was a legal resident of USA when he enter the Military.If you had payed attention , My husband who was an American Citizen,Carlos' stepfather make his status legal from the time Carlos was ten years old.so he didn't cheated or lying.you are judging a situation that you have no knowledge of.
115378781guest said on Monday, Feb 25 at 3:04 PM
RJ & Raven33 I agree with both of you. There is more to this story. As a wife of a Resident Alien I feel they need to go get their paperwork done and then enter the country legally. Deport them until they get either a citizenship or legal resident alien status. We did it so can they.
114516661TedtheBear said on Sunday, Feb 24 at 8:30 AM
He obviously got into the military by using frauduant paperwork and by lying. However, it is not unusual for foreigners to served in our military. What I don't understand is why he never apply for citizenship?
114390036yep said on Friday, Feb 22 at 7:26 PM
one down, 19,999,999 more to go.
114303101RJ said on Friday, Feb 22 at 10:23 AM
If he wasn't a LEGAL citizen in the first place, how was he able to get documents to get into the military, get a driver's license, get a passport to drive through the Canada border and into Alaska? Unless he flew) but still, the fact that it is so easy for illegal immigrants to get into our military, into our schools and colleges, into our government-funded programs, etc, completely boggles my mind. I appreciate that he served honorably in our military, but I don't appreciate all the illegal immigrants thinking they deserve free college, free citizenship, free documents.. Go through the proper channels or start a revolution in your own country..
114266062slapnutz said on Friday, Feb 22 at 8:50 AM
i agree with you raven 33
114257371Raven33 said on Friday, Feb 22 at 8:27 AM
Now lets hear the rest of the story. There is always more than one side. Foreigners have always been allowed to serve and earn the right to get citizenship. If he was too lazy to apply for it then he desrves to be deported. He knew the rules and chose not to follow them. He chose his own path!
114255275S Long said on Friday, Feb 22 at 8:21 AM
He was given the honor & privilege of serving our country but he was not given citizenship? Doesn't make sense to me. (I can't get video to play)
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