Richard Avila
Branch of Service
Deployments
USA & Overseas (Vietnam War Era / OEP Training)
Years of Service
Early Life & Background
I was only 16 months old when my family immigrated to the United States and settled in Los Angeles, California—so while I was not born in the United States, I was raised here. I have no recollection of my life in Mexico prior to immigrating, though I did return twice during my school years.
My first visit back was at age 9. I remember very little, aside from sitting on my grandfather’s lap and attending the burial of an extended family member. My second visit, at age 12, left a stronger impression. I remember swimming in the Rio Nazas, the river bordering my hometown of Gómez Palacio, Durango, and Torreón, Coahuila. These cities hold historical importance as key locations during the Mexican Revolution under Pancho Villa and the División del Norte.
During that visit, my family also traveled to Mexico City, where we visited the Metropolitan Cathedral and rode the famous chalupas through the canals of Xochimilco. I made many friends, even had a couple of young romances, and those memories remain very special to me.
Life in the United States
Growing up on the east side of Los Angeles was challenging. I began school at age 5 and completed elementary education before moving on to junior high, where I began to get into trouble.
Although I experimented with drugs, I did not develop an early interest in them. However, gang influence had a stronger impact, leading me into various forms of misconduct. Despite this, I was never arrested during my youth, and my criminal history did not begin until after my military service.
Deployment & Service
During the Vietnam War era, particularly between 1969 and 1975, drug culture was widespread both in society and within the military. While deployed overseas and training for Operation Eagle Pull, I was introduced to heroin.
Like many service members of that time, I returned home carrying not only the experiences of war but also a serious addiction. I was discharged in 1975, shortly after Operation Eagle Pull, without being offered any form of rehabilitation or support from the military.
Post-Service Struggles
From the time of my discharge until I became clean, my life was defined by addiction. I was in and out of jails and prisons, committing crimes driven solely by the need to sustain my drug dependency.
In 1987, I was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to 10 years in state prison. After completing my sentence, I was transferred to immigration authorities and placed into removal proceedings. I was released on bail and began a long legal battle to remain in the United States.
For nearly three years, my case progressed in Los Angeles Immigration Court. Judge Lauren Mathon initially supported granting me relief under Section 212(c), considering my lifelong residency and military service. However, after a judicial change, Judge Daniels took over and denied such relief.
I failed to appear in court at one point, resulting in a deportation order issued in absentia. I appealed the decision, but in 1996, the Board of Immigration Appeals upheld the deportation order.
Deportation
Following the 1996 ruling, I was deported multiple times. Each time, I returned to the United States, only to be detained and deported again. Eventually, I was charged with illegal entry and sentenced to three years in federal prison.
After serving that sentence, I made the decision to remain in Mexico to avoid further imprisonment. I have now been living here for the past 15 years.
Life Now
Four years before my final arrest in 2008, I was fortunate to receive support through Narcotics Anonymous. With their help, I turned my life around and have been drug-free since 2004. Although I achieved sobriety, it came too late to change the outcome of my immigration status.
Today, my focus is on returning to the United States legally with the help of deported veterans advocacy groups. Their efforts have helped some veterans return home, but many of us continue to fight for the right to live in the country we served.
The United States is my home—the country I grew up in, and the country I volunteered to serve, defend, and, if necessary, die for.
As soldiers, we lived by the motto:
“Leave No Man Behind.”
As deported veterans, we carry forward that commitment: “Leave No One Behind.”
— Richard Avila / USMC 1972–1975
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