New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Friday granted pardons to Sae Joon Park, a 57‑year‑old Korean‑born U.S. Army veteran who left the United States last year after immigration officials threatened to detain him. The pardons erased a 2009 second‑degree bail‑jumping conviction and a 2007 third‑degree controlled‑substance possession conviction, clearing a major legal obstacle to having his removal order vacated.
Veteran’s service and sacrifice
Park arrived in the United States at age seven, traveling alone from South Korea to join his mother in Miami. After high school he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in the 1989 invasion of Panama where he was wounded twice and earned a Purple Heart. Following his service, he struggled with post‑traumatic stress disorder and turned to drugs, leading to the convictions that later triggered immigration enforcement action.
Self‑deportation and family separation
In 2023, an ICE officer cited Park’s prior removal order during a routine check‑in and threatened immediate detention. Park agreed to wear an ankle monitor in exchange for avoiding arrest, but within three weeks he chose to self‑deport, boarding a one‑way flight to Busan, South Korea, and leaving behind his two adult children, a 29‑year‑old son and a 25‑year‑old daughter.
Pardon and potential return
Governor Hochul’s statement said the five individuals she pardoned, including Park, “have displayed positive changes in their lives and will dedicate themselves to bettering their communities.” Park’s attorney, Danicole Ramos, called the pardon “a tremendous step forward,” noting it gives Park and his family renewed hope of returning to the United States after more than a year of separation.
While the pardon does not automatically restore Park’s ability to re‑enter the country, it provides a legal basis to request that his removal order be vacated. The Department of Homeland Security has not yet commented on the case.
Broader context
Park’s situation reflects a larger trend of non‑citizen veterans caught in the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, many of whom faced removal despite their military service. Lawmakers have repeatedly raised concerns about the treatment of veteran immigrants, prompting hearings and calls for reform.
As the Trump administration continues to enforce strict immigration policies, the Hochul pardons underscore the ongoing tension between federal enforcement and state‑level efforts to recognize the contributions of veteran immigrants.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
