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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE, SERVICE, AND LEGACY OF MIGUEL PEREZ JR.
WHEREAS, Miguel Perez Jr., was born on April 17, 1978, in Guadalajara, Mexico and came to the United States with his family at 8 years old; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Perez was a combat veteran of the United States Army who honorably served in the War on Terror, including two tours in Afghanistan in direct support of U.S. Special Forces; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Perez provided indispensable logistical and operational support under combat conditions and endured significant combat-related trauma, later diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); and
WHEREAS, upon returning from service, Mr. Perez sought assistance from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs but faced systemic barriers to care, including denial of services; and
WHEREAS, due to physical and mental injuries, Mr. Perez began battling drug addiction, which eventually led to incarceration for a nonviolent offense; and, despite having completed his sentence, was subsequently detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and deported to Mexico on March 2018; and
WHEREAS, the deportation of Mr. Perez compounded the physical and psychological injuries he sustained during his military service by imposing additional trauma, isolation, and instability, exacerbating his mental and physical health challenges while leaving him especially vulnerable without access to consistent medical care, veteran support services, or community protection; and
WHEREAS, throughout his life, Mr. Perez used his voice to speak on the barriers and failures many veterans face when returning from service, particularly for veterans suffering from PTSD and related injuries; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Perez was a member of Green Card Veterans LULAC Council #5310 and was granted a service-connected disability rating for PTSD after he was incarcerated; and
WHEREAS, the treatment and detention of Mr. Perez underscore the profound inequities faced by i...
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