Summary
Sae Joon Park, a U.S. Army veteran who fought in Panama and received a Purple Heart, voluntarily left the United States to avoid deportation after living there for nearly 50 years. Park, a green card holder, faced deportation due to past criminal charges linked to drug possession and failure to appear in court, which he attributed to untreated PTSD.
Key Facts
- Sae Joon Park came to the U.S. from South Korea at age 7.
- Park served in the U.S. Army and was part of the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama.
- He was injured in combat, receiving two gunshot wounds, and was awarded a Purple Heart.
- Park struggled with PTSD and drug addiction after his military service.
- Park was a green card holder, meaning he was a legal permanent resident but not a U.S. citizen.
- Immigration authorities gave Park the choice to leave voluntarily or face detention and deportation.
- Park attributes his legal issues to untreated PTSD.
