A 55-year-old decorated Army veteran was forced to leave his home and family in Hawaii this week after U.S. immigration officials abruptly revoked his deferred action status and ordered him to leave the country within three weeks — or face detention.
What led to deportation:
Sae Joon Park, who moved to the U.S. from South Korea at age 7, was ordered to leave after immigration authorities ended his protection under deferred action earlier this month. He was fitted with an ankle monitor and told to choose between voluntary departure or being detained.
“I was just very lucky to deport myself, remove myself, because they were ready to lock me up,” Park told Island News.
His deportation stems from a 2009 conviction for drug possession and bail jumping — charges he said were tied to untreated PTSD from his military service. Despite the nonviolent nature of the offense, U.S. immigration law classifies bail jumping as an aggravated felony, which virtually guarantees removal.
Service and sacrifice:
Park joined the U.S. Army at 19 and was deployed to Panama during Operation Just Cause in 1989. He was injured twice in combat and awarded a Purple Heart after a bullet struck his dog tag, causing a spinal injury.
Following his honorable discharge, Park struggled with severe PTSD, turning to drugs to cope with trauma, flashbacks, and noise sensitivity. He later served prison time, got sober, and spent the last 14 years rebuilding his life in Hawaii—raising two adult children and caring for his aging mother.
“I can’t believe this is happening in America,” Park told NPR. “That blows me away—like a country that I fought for.”
Leaving family behind:
Before boarding his flight to South Korea, Park said a heartbreaking goodbye to his 85-year-old mother, who suffers from early dementia and has difficulty understanding what’s happening.
“I have to accept the fact that this is probably the last time I’ll see her,” he said.
His attorney, Danicole Ramos, said Park’s deportation highlights how immigration law often disregards service and rehabilitation.
“We have a veteran who took a bullet for this country, who swore an oath to protect the Constitution — even though he wasn’t a citizen,” Ramos told Hawaii News Now.
Ramos noted that noncitizens make up nearly 40% of all military naturalizations, and many face removal for nonviolent offenses due to strict immigration laws.
Uncertain future:
Park is now starting over in a country he hasn’t seen in over 30 years, with no clear path to return and an uncertain future with his American family.
“This isn’t just a legal issue,” said Ramos. “It’s a moral one.”
