By Redacción
redaccion@latinocc.com
Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) has introduced a legislative package aimed at protecting the undocumented parents of U.S. military servicemembers from deportation. Central to the package is the bipartisan Protect Patriot Parents Act, which would allow parents of active-duty servicemembers to apply for lawful permanent residency, preventing family separations due to immigration enforcement.
The package also includes a bill granting permanent resident status to Juana Flores, a longtime Central Coast resident and mother of U.S. Air Force Sgt. Caesar Flores. Flores was previously deported despite decades in the United States, sparking local and national outcry.
At a press conference on Capitol Hill, Carbajal was joined by Reps. Darren Soto (D-Fla.) and Lou Correa (D-Calif.) to highlight Flores’ case. Carbajal helped the Flores family coordinate with the Biden administration and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to secure her return under humanitarian parole.
Flores had lived in Goleta, California, for over 30 years with her husband, raising 10 children and 19 grandchildren in Santa Barbara County. Her deportation drew criticism from immigrant rights advocates and military supporters alike.
“As a veteran and an immigrant, I find it unconscionable that someone like Sgt. Flores could risk his life for our country while his family is being torn apart,” said Carbajal. “This legislation is about creating an immigration system that is fair, keeps families together, and honors the contributions immigrants make to our nation.”
Andrea Gómez Flores, Juana’s granddaughter, said the bill offers long-overdue justice.
“My grandmother is not a criminal,” Gómez Flores said. “It is unjust and inhumane to treat her like one. No family should be forced apart, especially when our loved ones are serving this country. We must uphold dignity, compassion, and justice for every family.”
Attorneys Kraig Rice and retired Judge Frank Ochoa, who represent Flores, also spoke in favor of the bill.
“The Protect Patriot Parents Act supports our troops and their families. Deporting military servicemembers or their loved ones defies the public interest and contradicts America’s moral conscience,” said Rice and Ochoa. “This country owes it to every family whose members serve in uniform to ensure they remain together.”
Estimates indicate that up to 80,000 undocumented spouses and parents of U.S. servicemembers currently live in the United States. Despite their connection to military service, many still face the risk of deportation.
Carbajal is also a co-sponsor of Rep. Soto’s Protect Patriot Spouses Act, which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit undocumented spouses of military personnel to adjust their status—even if they entered the U.S. unlawfully. The bill would also allow eligible veteran spouses who were previously deported or left the country voluntarily to apply for reentry and lawful status while abroad.
“This is about aligning our immigration laws with our values,” Carbajal said. “We cannot ask servicemembers to sacrifice for a country that won’t protect their families.”
