TAKE ACTION – Call your US Senator and ask them to vote no on HR 22 (aka SAVE AC)!

Stand with MFSO and SFI to say NO on the SAVE Act. It was passed in the House on April 10 and currently in the Senate. 

Please push your senators in congress to vote against it. It severely hinders active duty military from voting!

One of the barriers this bill is trying to impose on voters would be requiring voters to bring passports or birth certificates in person to their election office in order to register. This means – no more registration from your far-away duty station. 

Use this tool by Action Network to send a email to your senators. Tell them: Vote NO on the SAVE Act.

The deployment of U.S. military personnel to the southern border is an ineffective and costly use of resources that fails to address the root causes of migration and border security concerns. Rather than enhancing national security, this approach diverts critical military assets from their intended missions, strains defense budgets, and places service members in roles they are neither trained nor appropriately utilized. Furthermore, such deployments risk undermining constitutional protections, particularly the Fourth Amendment rights of immigrants and asylum seekers, which guard against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Military forces are not a sustainable solution for managing immigration policy or border enforcement. Civilian agencies such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are better equipped to handle these responsibilities through targeted personnel, technology, and infrastructure investments. The continued reliance on troop deployments reflects a short-term political strategy rather than a viable long-term solution. In addition, military involvement at the border raises significant legal and ethical concerns, including the potential for violations of due process and protections against warrantless searches under the Fourth Amendment.

Additionally, such deployments impose unnecessary burdens on military personnel, disrupting training schedules and readiness while offering little strategic value. Instead of misallocating defense resources, policymakers should prioritize comprehensive immigration reform, diplomatic engagement with neighboring countries, and enhanced border management strategies that align with humanitarian and security needs while upholding constitutional rights. We strongly oppose the unnecessary deployment of troops to the border and management strategies that don’t align with humanitarian and security needs or uphold constitutional rights. 

We strongly oppose the unnecessary deployment of troops to the border and advocate for effective, sustainable, and fiscally responsible solutions that respect civil liberties and address border security and immigration challenges.

Last month,  6 formerly deported veterans joined members of the American Legion Post 354 in Buena Park gathered to unveil a mural of their fellow deported veterans. The room was filled to capacity with US Congressman Lou Correa and the entire Buena Park City Council in attendance among other officials in attendance. Their goal was to bring awareness to the issue that over 40,000 US active duty service members are currently vulnerable to deportation. Also, US veterans who have served honorable have already been deported and await humanitarian paroles so they can return to their families. The group is heavily promoting the re-introduction of the last congressional session’s  bill HR 4569 which would end the practice of  military deportations by allowing for the process of obtaining citizenship to begin during basic training.

THE LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND MURAL PROJECT

A mural project supporting and bringing awareness of deported veterans across the globe. Since 1996 over 1,000 honorable discharged non-citizen veterans have been deported.  All of them were here legally with green cards. It’s time to bring them home. Supported by the National Executive Committee of the American Legion. For more information https://leavenoonebehindmuralproject.org

HR 4569 is the Veteran Service Recognition Act, which would protect non-citizen veterans from deportation and ensure that they and their families would still receive the benefits they earned if they are deported and begin the process of obtaining citizenship while in basic training. This bill also expedites the process for naturalization for our non-citizen servicemembers ensuring that no veteran or service members lips through the cracks of our immigrations system.

MFSO Co-Sponsors Film Showing

To mark the anniversary of the disastrous invasion of Iraq, Veterans For Peace presents a virtual screening of What I Want You To Know, an award-winning documentary produced by two veterans who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Military Families Speak Out and Servicemembers for Ceasefire are co-sponsors. Join us and hear the latest analysis from our friend from Veterans for Peace, Matt Ho.

Here’s the trailer for the film. https://www.whatiwantyoutoknow-film.com/about

(MFSO) extends our deepest condolences and unwavering support to the communities of New Orleans and Las Vegas in the wake of these heartbreaking tragedies. The pain and trauma experienced by survivors, families, and first responders echo the profound struggles that military families and veterans know all too well.

As families of service members, we recognize the long-lasting impact of violence and disaster. Survivors of mass violence and natural disasters often face emotional scars that are invisible yet deeply damaging. The fear, helplessness, and grief that arise from such events can trigger or intensify post-traumatic stress (PTS), a condition that many of our veterans and military families confront daily.

Post-traumatic stress is not limited to the battlefield; it is a reality for anyone who has endured life-threatening experiences. In the aftermath of these tragedies, many survivors may experience flashbacks, anxiety, depression, and isolation—symptoms similar to those faced by veterans returning from war. These shared struggles highlight the urgent need for comprehensive mental health support and compassionate care for all affected individuals.

MFSO calls on policymakers, healthcare providers, and community leaders to prioritize trauma-informed care and expand mental health resources for survivors of violence and disaster. Just as our veterans require ongoing support for invisible wounds, so too do the countless civilians now burdened by trauma.

Let us unite to support healing and recovery, recognizing that the path forward requires empathy, understanding, and action. No one should have to navigate the lasting effects of trauma alone.

In solidarity,
Military Families Speak Out

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Veterans marching for stopping deportation of veterans during the NY #VeteransDay Parade. #militaryfamiliesspeakout

MFSO and Unified U.S. Deported Veterans have developed a joint petition to President Biden to support deported veterans this Veterans Day

What can you do to support veterans today?

Many people don’t even know that US veterans are being deported! They deserve to come home to their loved ones and to the country for which they were willing to lay down their lives. As president Biden prepares to leave office, the lives of our recently returned veterans are at stake. Now is the time for us to stand up for them before they are forgotten. Sign the petition below to make sure that veterans who have returned are not deported again and that those veterans who are desperately waiting for approval from Homeland Security can finally come home. Let’s stand up for our veterans, this Veterans Day.

Dear President Biden:

We, the undersigned, urge you to sign the 25 pending requests for presidential pardons for those veterans who have returned so that they may remain in the US. We also request that you reach out to Homeland Security to expedite the process for granting humanitarian paroles for those deported US veterans waiting for approval to come home. Please honor the commitments you have made to support all US veterans and ensure that they will all be able to access all of their rightfully earned VA benefits.

SIGN THE PETITION HERE

NEXT CALL THE NUMBER BELOW and leave a message for President Biden. Ask him to sign the 25 pending requests for presidential pardons for those veterans who have returned so that they may remain in the US and ask Homeland Security to grant humanitarian paroles for the deported veterans waiting to come home. 202-456-1111