Change.org To Feature Brothers Valenzuela In Email Campaign

San Francisco, California - Change.org selected a petition to the President of the United States to stop deporting U.S. Veterans and Bring deported veterans home.  

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Specifically, the petition is designed to stop the unfair harassment of two Viet Nam veterans, Manuel and Valente Valenzuela.  The Valenzuela Brothers found themselves in removal or deportation proceedings after applying to renew their driver's licenses.  The Brothers have lived in the U.S. nearly all of their lives and have a U.S. citizen mother.

Valente Valenzuela arrived in 'Nam shortly after the Tet offensive.  Valente soon found himself working in a section of the military whose activities remain secret today.  Valente says he still suffers nightmares from his experiences.

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Manuel soon followed Valente to serve the U.S. performing rescue services for at-risk military teams.  Like his brother Valente, Manuel put his life on the line in active duty combat situations.  Many soldiers never returned from theater, others returned severely maimed.  The brothers took that chance supporting the country they call home.

Upon return from Viet Nam, both Valenzuela Brothers suffered the disgrace placed upon them by U.S. citizens angry at the Johnson Administration for it's escalation of the war.  A soldier who places his life on the line has no say in how and where he is deployed, yet one of the brothers remembers clearly having human feces thrown at him upon his return to the U.S.

Please sign the petition to stop deporting veterans and bring deported veterans home!  Stop the injustice to the Valenzeula Brothers and all veterans!

Life continued for the Valenzuela brothers for many years.  Each brother encountered minor skirmishes with the law as they dealt with their memories and trauma of life and death in a war zone. Each brother worked hard to follow the rule of law set down in the U.S., especially in the 911 environment.  What a surprise was in store for the brothers when they renewed their driver's licenses.  They received a notice to report to Homeland Security.  From there, deportation cases were opened on the elderly Viet Nam vets.

That is when the Brothers Valenzuela, as they like be called, found out they are not the only soldiers to face the wrath of aggressive actions by the Department of Homeland Security.  Many soldiers have been deported.  Homeland Security says they don't really know how many, because they don't keep statistics on who is a veteran and who is not, when they institute deportation proceedings.

Fabian Rebolledo, Getty Images

I had the chance to meet Fabian Rebolledo when I traveled with the Valenzuela brothers to the border to conduct a protest over the deportation of veterans.  

I will never forget the interview I did with Fabian's son who had an extremely difficult time talking about what could happen to his father.







   You can help return deported veterans by signing the petition from Change.org

U.S. Veteran Ask Senator Bennet To Help Stop Deporting Veterans

Stop deporting U.S. veterans
Bring Deported Veterans Home

Manuel and Valente Valenzuela fought in Viet Nam.  Years later, after applying to renew their driver's licenses, little could they know they would have to fight the very country for which they offered their lives to during the Viet Nam war.

The Valenzeula Brothers ask the White House to issue an executive order to halt the deportation of veterans and to bring deported veterans home.

Both brothers put their lives on the line in active duty.  Valente arrived in 'Nam just after the Tet Offensive.  His brother came later. Valente was recruited by a special services division.  He says he cannot talk about what he was required to do, even to this date.  However, the activities give him nightmares.

Manuel was part of a team that rescued soldiers in trouble.  Both he and Valente got into the thick of fighting in support of an unpopular war.  

When they returned to the U.S. they had human waste tossed on them.  There was no respect for the sacrifice soldiers had been making.  After living in the U.S. nearly all of their lives, they each went to the Driver's License bureau to renew their licenses.  It was post 911, and the country had changed.

Manuel hid his notice of removal for fear it would devastate his brother and closest friend, Valente.  Little did Manuel know, Valente had also hid his notice of removal.  Soon, the secret was out and both Valenzuela brothers were in a fight for their right to stay in the country for which they fought.

The brothers want the President to issue an executive order halting the deportation of veterans and to bring those veterans who have been deported, home.