U.S. Army veteran who self-deported to South Korea speaks out

Sae Joon Park, a decorated U.S. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, self-deported to South Korea in June 2025 after receiving a final removal order. The decision followed a 15-year-old drug possession charge and a missed court appearance, which resurfaced during President Trump’s second term. His case has since sparked calls from lawmakers and attorneys for a review of his deportation.

Park served in the U.S. Army and received a Purple Heart for his service. After returning home, he struggled with PTSD but lived in the U.S. for over a decade without legal issues. His legal troubles began when an old drug charge and a failure to appear in court put his immigration status at risk.

During a routine check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this year, Park was informed he would be deported. He was given just three weeks to leave the country. In June 2025, he complied with the order and moved to South Korea, leaving behind his children and his mother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s.

His case gained wider attention in December 2025 when he appeared via video at a congressional hearing with Homeland Security officials. Lawmakers and his attorney, Danicole Ramos, have since pushed for a reassessment of his deportation. However, as of December 2025, no public decision has been made regarding his potential return to the United States.

Park has now spent six months in South Korea, separated from his family and struggling with isolation.

Despite appeals from his legal team and members of Congress, Park remains in South Korea with no clear path back to the U.S. His deportation stems from a decades-old charge, which resurfaced under stricter immigration policies. For now, his future in the country he served remains uncertain.