By Alexandra Mendoza
California Governor Jerry Brown issued pardons to three veterans who had been deported to Mexico, thus opening the door for them to pursue legal action for their eventual return to the U.S.
The Governor granted 72 Easter pardons, including for former Marines Marco Antonio Chavez and Erasmo Apodaca, and former Army soldier Hector Barajas, who after their time in uniform were convicted of crimes and deported.
“Every day I have dreamed of returning to the country I love,” shared former Army paratrooper Hector Barajas, founder and director of the Deported Veteran Support House in Tijuana, Mexico. “We have taken a huge step forward for deported veterans and their families,” he added.