Tag Archives: South Korea

Guardian: Ice arrests of US military veterans and their relatives are on the rise: ‘a country that I fought for’

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As Trump urges more deportations, veterans are seeing their parents, children and even themselves detained

The son of an American citizen and military veteran – but who has no citizenship to any country – was deported from the US to Jamaica in late May.

Jermaine Thomas’s deportation, recently reported on by the Austin Chronicle, is one of a growing number of immigration cases involving military service members’ relatives or even veterans themselves who have been ensnared in the Trump administration’s mass deportation program.

As the Chronicle reported, Thomas was born on a US army base in Germany to an American citizen father, who was originally born in Jamaica and is now dead. Thomas does not have US, German or Jamaican citizenship – but Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agency deported him anyway to Jamaica, a country in which he had never set foot.

Thomas had spent two-and-a-half months incarcerated while waiting for an update on his case. He was previously at the center of a case brought before the US supreme court regarding his unique legal status.

The federal government argued that Thomas – who had previously received a deportation order – was not a citizen simply because he was born on a US army base, and it used prior criminal convictions to buttress the case against him. He petitioned for a review of the order, but the supreme court denied him, finding his father “did not meet the physical presence requirement of the [law] in force at the time of Thomas’s birth”.

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In another recent case, the wife of another Marine Corps veteran was detained by Ice despite still breastfeeding her three-month-old daughter. According to the Associated Press, the veteran’s wife had been going through a process to obtain legal residency.

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In March, Ice officials arrested the daughter of a US veteran who had been fighting a legal battle regarding her status. Alma Bowman, 58, was taken into custody by Ice during a check-in at the Atlanta field office, despite her having lived in the US since she was 10 years old.

Bowman was born in the Philippines during the Vietnam war, to a US navy service member from Illinois stationed there. She had lived in Georgia for almost 50 years. Her permanent residency was revoked following a minor criminal conviction from 20 years ago, leading her to continue a legal battle to obtain citizenship in the US.

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In another recent case, a US army veteran and green-card holder left on his own to South Korea. His deportation order was due to charges related to drug possession and an issue with drug addiction after being wounded in combat in the 1980s, for which he earned the prestigious Purple Heart citation.

“I can’t believe this is happening in America,” Sae Joon Park, who had held legal permanent residency, told National Public Radio. “That blows me away – like, [it is] a country that I fought for.”

Ice arrests of US military veterans and their relatives are on the rise: ‘a country that I fought for’
As Trump urges more deportations, veterans are seeing their parents, children and even themselves detained

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/28/us-military-veterans-detained-trump

Guardian: Purple heart army veteran self-deports after 50 years from ‘country I fought for’

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Green card holder Sae Joon Park left for South Korea after saying he was being targeted by Trump administration

A US army veteran who lived in the country for nearly 50 years – and earned a prestigious military citation for being wounded in combat – has left for South Korea after he says past struggles with drug addiction left him targeted by the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

“I can’t believe this is happening in America,” Sae Joon Park, who held legal permanent residency, told National Public Radio in an interview before his departure Monday from Hawaii. “That blows me away – like [it is] a country that I fought for.”

Park’s remarks to NPR and the Hawaii news station KITV vividly illustrate the effects that Donald Trump’s immigration policies can have on those who came to the US from abroad and obtained so-called green cards. His experience also highlights the challenges that noncitizens can face if they are ensnared by legal problems after serving the US military.

As the 55-year-old Park put it, he was brought to the US from South Korea at age seven and enlisted in the army after high school. He later participated in the US’s invasion of Panama in 1989 that toppled the regime of General Manuel Noriega – who was wanted by American authorities on accusations of drug trafficking, money laundering and racketeering.

During what was codenamed Operation Just Cause, Park was shot in the back during an exchange of gunfire with Panamanian troops. He flew back to the US, accepted the Purple Heart decoration given to US military members who are hurt or wounded in combat, secured an honorable discharge from the army and began physically recovering.

But he had difficulty grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder from being shot, and he became addicted to the illicit drug crack cocaine as he tried to cope, he recounted to NPR.

Park spent a few years in prison beginning in 2009 after police in New York arrested him while he tried to buy crack from a dealer one night, he said. At one point, Park skipped a court hearing related to his arrest knowing he would fail a required drug test. That doomed his chances of converting his legal residency into full US citizenship, which the government offers to military veterans who arrive to the country from abroad and serve honorably.

Purple heart army veteran self-deports after 50 years from ‘country I fought for’
Green card holder Sae Joon Park left for South Korea after saying he was being targeted by Trump administration

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/26/trump-immigration-veteran-self-deports

Huffington Post: Purple Heart Army Veteran Forced To Self-Deport Under ICE Order

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A Purple Heart Army veteran who said he took two bullets in the back while serving the U.S. during the invasion of Panama self-deported on Monday after receiving an order by immigration officials earlier this month.

Sae Joon Park, 55, who has lived in the U.S. since age 7, reportedly returned to his birth country of South Korea after being given an order related to drug and bail offenses from more than 15 years ago that he says were tied to PTSD.

Purple Heart Army Veteran Forced To Self-Deport After ICE Order
Sae Joon Park, 55, who’s lived in the U.S. since age 7, was deported Monday to South Korea over a 2009 drug conviction he says was tied to his PTSD.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/purple-heart-army-veteran-forced-to-self-deport_n_685aba3ce4b0ede248bacec0

AFP: Balloons, bubbles, tear gas: LA anti-Trump protests turn chaotic

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For hours, thousands of people in Los Angeles peacefully celebrated their defiance of US President Donald Trump Saturday with music, marching, bubbles and balloons — then police unexpectedly moved in, and chaos and confusion broke out.

The demonstration — part of the nationwide “No Kings” day of protests across the country — was by far the largest in more than a week of protests ignited by anger against immigration raids the Trump administration has been carrying out across the country’s second-largest city. 

Like those before it, Saturday’s had been largely peaceful. A march that began in the morning had finished, with demonstrators milling about on a sunny afternoon as the scene took on the air of a street festival. 

But then:

Then police unexpectedly began moving people away from the area, igniting confusion and anger among demonstrators caught off guard and unsure of where to go.

Police on horseback pushed crowds back as law enforcement fired tear gas and flash-bang grenades hours ahead of an 8:00 pm (0300 GMT) curfew. 

A police spokeswoman later told local TV channel KTLA that a “small group of agitators” had begun throwing rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers, prompting the decision to order the crowd to disperse.

Balloons, bubbles, tear gas: LA anti-Trump protests turn chaotic

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/balloons-bubbles-tear-gas-la-anti-trump-protests-turn-chaotic/ar-AA1GJd8h

New York Times: Agents Use Military-Style Force Against Protesters at L.A. Immigration Raid

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Armed agents in tactical gear threw flash-bang grenades to disperse a crowd in Los Angeles’s Fashion District. Later, agents fired less-than-lethal ammunition at protesters outside a detention center.

Federal agents in tactical gear armed with military-style rifles threw flash-bang grenades to disperse an angry crowd near downtown Los Angeles on Friday as they conducted an immigration raid on a clothing wholesaler, the latest sign of tensions between protesters and law enforcement over raids carried out at stores, restaurants and court buildings.

The operation was one of at least three immigration sweeps conducted in Los Angeles on Friday. In another one, federal agents converged at a Home Depot where day laborers regularly gather in search of work.

The raid at the clothing wholesaler began about 9:15 a.m. in the Fashion District, less than two miles from Los Angeles City Hall.

It was an extraordinary show of force. Dozens of federal agents wearing helmets and green camouflage arrived in two hulking armored trucks and other unmarked vehicles, and were soon approached by a crowd of immigrant activists and supporters. Some agents carried riot shields and others held rifles, as well as shotguns that appeared to be loaded with less-than-lethal ammunition.

Agents cleared a path for two white passenger vans that exited the area. A short time later, as officers boarded their vehicles to leave, a few agents lobbed flash-bang grenades at groups of people who chased alongside the slow-moving convoy. Some protesters had thrown eggs and other objects at the vehicles. At one point, the vehicles snagged and crushed at least two electric scooters that protesters had used.

Agents Use Military-Style Force Against Protesters at L.A. Immigration Raid
Armed agents in tactical gear threw flash-bang grenades to disperse a crowd in Los Angeles’s Fashion District. Later, agents fired less-than-lethal ammunition at protesters outside a detention center.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/06/us/los-angeles-immigration-raid.html?unlocked_article_code=1.NE8.NsYh.Ex_rWREZ8Ksq&smid=url-share

Huffington Post: Cringe Karoline [Bimbo #1] Leavitt Clip Perfectly Sums Up Trump’s White House, Say Critics

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A moment from White House press secretary Karoline [Bimbo #1] Leavitt’s Tuesday briefing is going viral, with critics saying it perfectly encapsulates the Trump White House’s approach to foreign affairs.

[Bimbo #1] Leavitt was asked if the White House had a response to the presidential election in South Korea, where liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung defeated conservative rival Kim Moon Soo.

“Yes, we do. In fact. Let me find it here for you,” [Bimbo #1] Leavitt said, flipping through a binder in front of her.

“Should be somewhere here,” she said, still flipping through.

After a pause and more shuffling, she added: “Hmm. We do not.”

She laughed awkwardly as she said, “But I will get you one,” before abruptly moving on to a new question from another reporter.

The clip quickly gained traction on social media.

Critics said it showcased the Trump administration’s lack of preparation and attention to world events.

“A total clown show,” remarked the Republicans Against Trump group.

Cringe Karoline Leavitt Clip Perfectly Sums Up Trump’s White House, Say Critics
A briefing binder fumble went viral for the wrong reasons.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/karoline-leavitt-election-question-viral_n_684016c8e4b0d48557aa701a/amp

Responsible Statecraft: Hegseth is taking the Army on another dead end ride to Asia

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The U.S. Army is getting ready to fight China. At least that’s how Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Army leaders are selling their new modernization initiative, announced on April 30.

Framed as an opportunity for “generational change,” the overhaul intends to “optimize” the Army’s force structure and equip its soldiers for the Indo-Pacific’s maritime terrain while divesting the heavy armored vehicles and helicopters that have been Army mainstays for a decade.

Like the Army’s past efforts to pivot to Asia, however, the initiative is likely to fail. The Army doesn’t have a game-changing or undiscovered role to play in a potential future conflict with China, and another expensive reboot isn’t going to help it find one. Instead, it’s time for the Army to face reality and double down on the narrow but essential core competencies it can already bring to the Indo-Pacific, including air defense, command and control, and sustainment.

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/hegseth-army

BBC: Tariffs on car parts entering the US come into force

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A 25% import tax on engines, transmissions and other key car parts has come into force in the US, raising pressure on an industry finding its way through a thicket of policy changes.

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The US president has said the new tariff, along with a 25% import tax on cars that went into effect last month, is intended to push carmakers to do more manufacturing in the US.

But analysts said any immediate expansions in the US were likely to come at the expense of production elsewhere, while also leading to higher costs for the businesses – and ultimately higher prices for customers.

“American made” cars still rely on foreign-made parts — we’re screwed by these tariffs either way.

Tariffs on car parts entering the US come into force

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/tariffs-on-car-parts-entering-the-us-come-into-force/ar-AA1E5k8b

More here:

The White House says tariffs won’t make car buying more expensive. Top automakers don’t sound as sure.
Despite the White House’s statements, Ford’s top executive recently said he could not promise consumers wouldn’t pay more.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/the-white-house-says-tariffs-won-t-make-car-buying-more-expensive-top-automakers-don-t-sound-as-sure/ar-AA1E3BLQ

Raw Story: ‘The president is in a hell of a pickle right now’ with little way out: Axios founder

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During a break from discussing the Donald Trump administration’s growing battle with the judiciary, Axios founder Jim VandeHei reminded the panel on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that the president has a lot on his plate right now with problems of his own making.

According to the Washington insider, Trump’s tariff war has done what appears to be irreparable damage to the reputation of the U.S. and he has put himself into a box he can’t escape from to get the economy back on track.

All I can say is, “Stupid is as stupid does!”

‘The president is in a hell of a pickle right now’ with little way out: Axios founder
During a break from discussing the Donald Trump administration’s growing battle with the judiciary, Axios founder Jim VandeHei reminded the panel on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that the president has a lot on his plate right now with problems of his own making. According to the Washington insider, Trump’s tariff war has done what appears to be irreparabl…

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-president-is-in-a-hell-of-a-pickle-right-now-with-little-way-out-axios-founder/ar-AA1D2lBw

Mediaite: The Wall Street Journal Torches Trump for ‘Hurting His Own Cause and Country’ Instead of China: ‘Making It Up as He Goes’

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The Wall Street Journal continued its assault on President Donald Trump’s trade policy in a new editorial questioning if he even has a “China trade strategy.”

“It’s all going according to plan, says the White House, and you almost have to smile at this spin in trying to sell President Trump’s partial tariff reversal this week as a triumph,” began the Journal in its opening salvo. “The reality is that Mr. Trump is making it up as he goes, and it would help if he had an actual strategy to deal with China in particular.”

After noting that Trump has escalated his trade war with China, it went on to submit that it isn’t clear whether the administration seeks “complete decoupling” or a “trade deal” with the Chinese.

The Wall Street Journal Torches Trump for ‘Hurting His Own Cause and Country’ Instead of China: ‘Making It Up as He Goes’
The Wall Street Journal continued its assault on Donald Trump’s trade policy in a new editorial questioning if Trump even has a “China trade strategy.”
The Wall Street Journal Torches Trump for ‘Hurting His Own Cause and Country’ Instead of China: ‘Making It Up as He Goes’