| Written by Maria Elena Salinas |
| Monday, April 07 2003 |
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| You don't have to be an American citizen to fight in a war for the United States, but you do have to have America in your heart. Why else would someone risk his or her life for a country he or she was not born in? Jose Gutierrez, Jose Angel Garibay, Jesús Alberto Suarez and Diego Fernando Rincon were among the first American soldiers to die in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Despite being born "south of the border" and not having U.S. citizenship, all four paid the ultimate sacrifice for their adopted homeland.
Marine Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez was the first U.S. casualty. He left his native Guatemala as a teenager in search of a better life in Southern California. The odds were against Jose from the start. He and his sister were orphans who grew up on the streets of Guatemala City until "Casa Alianza," a refuge for abandoned kids in Latin America, rescued him. He eventually took the long, hard road to the north, hitchhiking and hopping trains until he illegally crossed into the United States.
He was caught by immigration officials, but in an unusual turn of events was granted asylum and was taken in by a foster family. He put aside his dreams of becoming an architect to join the Marine Corps. He wanted to give back to this country what it had given him. That decision cost him his life.
Jose Angel Garibay was born in the town of Los Tecomates in the Mexican state of Jalisco. His family came to the United States when he was 1 year old. He grew up in a bilingual, bicultural home, proud of his heritage and dedicated to his new country. He joined the Marines through high-school recruitment and had a strong will to serve his country. He dreamed of being famous and becoming a police officer. His dreams were shattered on the streets of the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. But back home in Costa Mesa, Calif., the police department granted him his last wish and named him a police officer posthumously.
Jesús Alberto Suarez grew up in the Mexican border city of Tijuana, Baja California, hoping to one day become a soldier. He was determined to fight against thieves, thugs and murderers, his father told me. He wanted to be an Aztec warrior. On Friday, March 28, Fernando Suarez got that unwelcome visit at his home in Escondido, Calif., with news that his son had become a hero in Iraq. His father still remembers the sadness in his son's voice the day he left Camp Pendleton for Kuwait. "If anything happens to me, take care of my son and raise him as you raised me," he told him. His only consolation is that 15-month-old Eric will grow up knowing that his father was a hero.
Diego Fernando Rincon came to the United States from his native Colombia when he was only 5 years old. His family was running away from the violence in a country ravaged by narco-terrorism. Ironically, Diego was one of the four U.S. soldiers who died in a terrorist act when an Iraqi suicide bomber blew himself up in a taxi.
There are many more like these four brave young men. Troops serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom are not broken down into ethnic groups. However, it is estimated that there are thousands of immigrants in the military effort to remove Saddam Hussein. It is impossible to know precisely what countries they come from. Certainly not all of the immigrants serving in this operation are Hispanic.
Through an executive order, President Bush authorized the expedition of the naturalization process for those noncitizen nationals who serve in active duty in the armed forces during the war on terrorism that began on Sept. 11, 2001. Those immigrants who die in the call of duty will be given citizenship posthumously, although their families will not have access to benefits.
Finally, those who served -- and in some cases died -- with America in their hearts will be granted the wish that seemed so unattainable: American citizenship, and the honor of having served their new country. |
