CHIRLA Press Conference for Veteran Citizenship

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Serving in the Armed Forces is the most obvious way to show patriotism.

Though many members of the Armed Forces came from families who immigrated to the United States illegally.

The spouses and families of active duty members have a path to citizenship; but now the US Citizenship and Immigration Services is refusing to give the same rights to the families of veterans.

"We should get the same rights as active duty have."

Army veteran, Rudolfo Terensos served 8 years in Iraq.

"We did our time, they do their time. We went through the same struggles they are going through right now, so why shouldn't we be treated the same?"

The Coalition for Human Immigration Rights of Los Angeles called today's news conference.

Chirla's Jorge-Mario Cabrera says that when family members have different citizenship status it can cause hardship

"What is a family? The value of a family? And the fact that in the us every family should be able to live happy...no matter the conditions."

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services office had no comment towards the matter.