>>> NOW, IN THE UNITED STATES, SOME IMMIGRANT IES FEAR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S I.C.E.

CRACKDOWN, THEY ARE TAKING THE PAINFUL DECISION TO LEAVE THE UNITED STATES, EVEN IF IT MEANS SEPARATING FROM THEIR FAMILIES.

ONE SUCH CASE IS THAT OF SAE JOON PARK, A U.S. ARMY VETERAN RECENTLY FORCED TO SELF-DEPORT BACK TO SOUTH KOREA.

OVER DECADE S-OLD DRUG CHARGES THAT WERE LINKED TO PTSD HE SUFFERED.

HE AND HIS ATTORNEY DANICOLE RAMOS JOINED MICHEL MARTIN TO SHARE HIS STORY OF LEAVING BEHIND THE ONLY COUNTRY HE'S EVER CALLED HOME.

>> THANK YOU, CHRISTIANE.

SAE JOON PARK, DANICOLE RAMOS, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MR. PARK, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU.

YOU CAME TO THE UNITED STATES BY YOURSELF WHEN YOU WERE SO YOUNG, SO, AS BRIEFLY AS YOU CAN, WOULD YOU JUST TELL US WHAT --WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE UNITED STATES AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE, AND ALONE?

>> MY MOM CAME TO THE UNITED STATES WHEN I WAS 6 AND I WAS LIVING WITH MY FATHER AT THE TIME, SO, HE READ ME A LETTER FROM MY MOM AND ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO GO LIVE WITH MY MOM.

AT THAT TIME, AS A YOUNG CHILD, I MADE THAT CHOICE TO GO LIVE WITH MY MOM, SO, HE SET UP EVERYTHING, THEY PUT A LITTLE TAG ON ME AND I GOT ON A PLANE BY MYSELF AND GOT ESCORTED FROM KOREA TO HAWAII, HAWAII TO L.A., L.A. TO DALLAS, AND DALLAS TO MIAMI.

>> OH, MY GOODNESS.

>> AND I REUNITED WITH MY MOM AT 7 YEARS OLD.

>> AT ONE POINT, YOU ENLISTED IN THE ARMY.

YOU WENT INTO COMBAT IN PANAMA.

YOU WERE ONLY 19 YEARS OLD.

I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WERE SHOT.

YOU WERE ACTUALLY SPOT IN THE SPINE.

>> YES.

WELL, I TURNED 20 IN BASIC TRAINING.

SO, I JOINED AT 19, AND THEN DURING THE WAR, I WAS 20 YEARS OLD.

IT WAS THE SECOND DAY, SECOND DAY PATROLLING AROUND, I GOT SHOT TWICE IN THE BACK, ONE WAS IN THE SPINE, AND THE OTHER ONE, LEFT LOWER BACK AND IT WENT IN MY BODY, TUMBLING AROUND DODGING ALL MY MAJOR ORGANS.

IF I TOOK AN X-RAY, I STILL HAVE LITTLE SHRAPNELS LEFT INSIDE MY BODY.

>> OH, MY GOODNESS.

>> I WAS LUCKY.

>> WELL, I'M GLAD YOU ARE HERE WITH US TO TELL US THE STORY.

BUT YOU RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART, WHICH IS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU WERE WOUNDED IN ACTION, AND YOU WERE HONORABLY DISCHARGED.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, THOUGH, THAT YOU STRUGGLED AFTER YOU LEFT THE SERVICE.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT?

>> AT THE TIME, THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AT PTSD, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

I HAD NIGHTMARES ALMOST EVERY NIGHT.

I COULDN'T SLEEP, I HAD NIGHTMARES.

I'D BE COLD SWEATS OUT OF NOWHERE.

I COULDN'T WATCH WAR MOVIES, I COULDN'T HEAR LOUD SOUNDS, LIKE --AT THE TIME, IN L.A., THERE WAS A LOT OF GUNFIRE GOING ON EVERY NIGHT, YOU COULD HEAR THE GUNSHOTS, SO, EVERY TIME I WOULD HEAR A GUNSHOT, I WOULD GET NERVOUS AND START ACTING OUT.

I COULDN'T TELL ANYBODY WHAT I WAS GOING THROUGH, BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS PTSD, AND, LIKE, BEING A MALE, SUPPOSED TO BE A TOUGH GUY, I DIDN'T WANT TO GO CRYING TO ANYONE ABOUT WHAT I WAS FEELING.

SO, I REALLY HAD TO DEAL WITH EVERYTHING ON MY OWN.

>> WELL, JUST FORGIVE ME, WITH RESPECT, THERE WAS SUCH A THING AS PTSD, BUT APPARENTLY THERE WAS NO LANGUAGE FOR IT THEN.

DO YOU THINK YOU STARTED SELF-MEDICATING AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THAT?

>> WELL, I DEFINITELY FEEL THAT WAY, BECAUSE MARIJUANA HELPED.

IT HELPED ME GO TO SLEEP WITHOUT DREAMING, BECAUSE I HAD NIGHTMARES ALL THE TIME.

I FOUND A WAY, IF I SMOKED WEED, I WOULD ACTUALLY GET TO SLEEP AT NIGHT.

SO, THAT'S WHAT KIND OF STARTED IT OFF.

IT ENDED UP TO HARDER DRUGS.

I STARTED DOING CRACK COCAINE, AND, WHICH PRETTY MUCH TOOK CONTROL OF MY LIFE AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE, AND THAT'S WHERE WHEN I DID GET ARRESTED, IT WAS POSSESSION OF CRACK COCAINE.

>> AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, BAIL --BAIL JUMPING OR NOT MEETING A REQUIRED COURT APPEARANCE, IS THAT ACCURATE?

>> YES.

THE JUDGE GAVE ME A FEW CHANCES.

SHE TOLD ME ONE TIME, LIKE, MR. PARK, NEXT TIME YOU COME INTO MY COURTROOM WITH A DIRTY URINE, YOU WILL BE SENT TO PRISON, SO, ME BEING SCARED AND NERVOUS --THAT HAPPENED IN NEW YORK, SO I GOT IN MY CAR AND FROM NEW YORK I DROVE TO L.A. AND THEN FROM L.A., GOT ON A PLANE AND WENT TO HAWAII.

>> OH, MY.

>> A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, THE U.S.

MARSHALS CAME LOOKING FOR ME, AND THEN I TURNED MYSELF IN, ONCE I FOUND OUT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR ME.

>> YOU DID SERVE TIME IN PRISON.

YOU THEN DID HAVE MANY, MANY YEARS OF SOBRIETY, YOU RAISED A FAMILY.

IT'S MY UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE --HOW ELSE CAN I PUT IT, YOU HAVE FULFILLED YOUR OBLIGATIONS TO THE COUNTRY, IS THAT --WOULD THAT BE FAIR TO SAY?

>> YES.

I LIVE WITH THAT ADDICTION FOR MANY YEARS, SO, WHEN I WENT TO PRISON, WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WHEN YOU HIT ROCK BOTTOM, IT'S EASY TO QUIT.

LITERALLY, WHEN I WENT --SENT TO PRISON, THAT WAS MY ROCK BOTTOM.

I STARTED PRAYING EVERY NIGHT, LOSING MY KIDS, LOSING MY FAMILY, NOT KNOWING HOW LONG I'M GOING TO BE GONE FOR, SO, THAT REALLY HELPED ME KICK THE DRUG HABIT COLD TURKEY.

IT WAS NOT HARD AFTER THAT.

AND THEN, WHEN I DID GET RELEASED, I WANTED TO CATCH UP MY TIME WITH MY CHILDREN AND LIVE A GOOD LIFE, AND, WHICH I HAVE BEEN DOING, CHECKING IN WITH I.C.E., OR IMMIGRATION OFFICERS EVERY YEAR, AT FIRST, IT WAS ONCE A MONTH, AND THEN ONCE EVERY THREE MONTHS AND THEN ONCE EVERY SIX MONTHS, AND EVENTUALLY, SINCE I WAS DOING GOOD, THEY PUT IT TO ONCE EVERY YEAR.

AND THAT'S HOW I'VE BEEN LIVING FOR THE PAST 14 YEARS, OVER 14 YEARS.

>> SO, HERE'S WHERE I WANT TO TURN TO YOUR ATTORNEY, DANICOLE RAMOS.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT --THAT MR. PARK DID HAVE A REMOVAL ORDER, WOULD THAT BE AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THIS DRUG CONVICTION, WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN THAT?

>> YEAH, SO FOR MR. PARK'S SITUATION, HE HAD A REMOVAL ORDER BASED ON TWO CONVICTIONS THAT HAPPENED IN NEW YORK THAT HE MENTIONED.

SO, ONE WAS THE POSSESSION OF THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, AND THEN THE OTHER WAS JUMPING BAIL, WHEN HE MISSED THAT DRUG COURT -- THAT DRUG TESTING DATE, MANDATED BY HIS JUDGE.

SO, THOSE TWO CONVICTIONS ALONE WERE WHAT IMMIGRATIONS AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT USED TO INSERT A REMOVAL ORDER ON HIM.

NOW, THE THING THAT WAS THE MOST SERIOUS OUT OF THE TWO CONVICTIONS WERE HIS BAIL JUMPING, AND IN IMMIGRATION LAW, BAIL JUMPING IS CONSIDERED AN AGGRAVATED FELONY, AND FOR AGGRAVATED FELONIES, IN IMMIGRATION LAW, THEY'RE VERY SERIOUS CRIMES.

THEY'RE CONSIDERED CONVICTIONS THAT HAVE NO POTENTIAL RELIEF FROM DEPORTATION OR CAN POSSIBLY PERMANENTLY BAR YOU FROM NATURALIZING AS A U.S. CITIZEN.

WE CAN THINK OF THEM AS, LIKE, MURDER, WE CAN THINK OF THEM AS RAPE, ROBBERY, OR TRAFFICKING DRUGS OR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

IT SEEMS SURREAL THAT JUMPING BAIL IS CONSIDERED AN AGGRAVATED FELONY, ALMOST THE EQUIVALENT OF MURDER, RAPE, ROBBERY, DEALING DRUGS.

AND SO, BECAUSE OF THAT BAIL JUMPING CONVICTION THAT HE HAD IN NEW YORK, THAT WAS THE REASON THAT HE WAS BARRED FROM ANY RELIEF OR CANCELLATION FROM REMOVAL, AND THAT'S WHY THAT REMOVAL OF ORDER WAS REINSTATED IN 2010.

>> MR. PARK HAS A E AL ORDER, BUT HE'S LIVED IN THIS COUNTRY FOR ALL THIS TIME.

HE HAD IT FOR 14 YEARS AND NOTHING HAPPENED.

SO, THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

>> WHEN HE FIRST GOT THE REMOVAL ORDER, IMMIGRATIONS AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, I.C.E.

HAS DISCRETION TO ENFORCE WHICH REMOVAL ORDERS THEY WANT TO.

AND SO, WHAT THEN THEY DECIDED TO WORK ON WAS, HEY, MR. PARK, YOU KNOW, YOU DO HAVE A REMOVAL ORDER, YOU DID DO THESE CONVICTIONS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO PUT YOU ON SOMETHING CALLED DEFERRED ACTION.

AND DEFERRED ACTION IS WHAT I.C.E.

USES AS THEIR DISCRETION TO SAY, HEY, YOU DO HAVE A DEPORTATION ORDER, WE CAN REMOVE YOU, BUT CONSIDERING MR. PARK'S, YOU KNOW, BACKGROUND AS A PURPLE HEART VETERAN, THEY DECIDED THAT HE WOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED A PRIORITY FOR DEPORTATION.

THEY WOULD JUST LET HIM LIVE HIS LIFE.

BUT WITH CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS, AS HE MENTIONED, RIGHT?

SO, CHECKING IN WITH I.C.E.

ON A REGULAR BASIS, MAKING SURE THAT HE STAYS CLEAN AND SOBER, AND THEN HE DOES HAVE WORK AUTHORIZATION, SO, HE'S STILL ALLOWED TO WORK, HE HAD TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR TO RENEW THAT WORK PERMIT, BUT HE WAS ABLE TO LIVE HIS LIFE, SO LONG AS HE, YOU KNOW, HAD NO CRIMINAL RECORD AND STAYED CLEAN AND SOBER.

>> SO, THEN, WHAT HAPPENED?

SO, LAST MONTH, WHAT HAPPENED LAST MONTH?

>> YEAH, SO, FOR MR. PARK, YOU KNOW, HE WAS WARNED AT HIS LAST CHECK- IN IN MAY OF 2024 THAT IF PRESIDENT TRUMP RETURNS TO OFFICE, THERE'S A STRONG CHANCE THAT HE WOULD GET HIS DEFERRED ACTION TAKEN AWAY, AND THAT THE REMOVAL ORDER BACK IN 2010 WOULD BE ENFORCED.

WE GO BACK IN JUNE, LAST MONTH, TO CHECK IN WITH THE I.C.E.

OFFICER, AND THE I.C.E.

OFFICER SAID, AND I --I REMEMBER VIVIDLY WHAT HE TOLD ME, WAS, LIKE, BECAUSE OF THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION, BECAUSE OF THIS NEW REGIME, THAT --WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE AWAY YOUR DEFERRED ACTION, AND THE I.C.E.

OFFICER DID SAY TO HIM THAT, YOU KNOW, I COULD DETAIN YOU RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT WE WORKED OUT WITH I.C.E.

OFFICERS LIKE HIM, IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DETAIN HIM RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE HIS WHOLE FAMILY IS HERE, WAITING FOR HIM AT HIS I.C.E.

CHECK-IN.

SO, WHAT WE AGREED TO DO IS THAT MR. PARK WOULD SELF-DEPORT, PUT ON AN ANKLE MONITOR UNTIL THEN AND HAVE AN ITINERARY TO LEAVE THE UNITED STATES BY THE END OF THE MONTH.

>> MR. PARK, CAN I JUST ASK WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU HEARD THIS?

>> THAT NIGHT, WHEN I WENT HOME, I THINK IT WAS, LIKE, PTSD, I HAD A HARD TIME SLEEPING THAT NIGHT, BECAUSE KNOWING THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN DETAINED, AND I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A JAIL CELL INSTEAD OF ME BEING AT HOME, IT DID A LOT TO ME, AND IT WAS SURREAL.

I HAD THREE WEEKS TO REMOVE MYSELF.

MY CHILDREN, MY PARENTS, THEY'RE OLD, MY AUNT AND UNCLE, THEY'RE ALL OLD AND I'VE KIND OF BEEN TAKING CARE OF THEM, SO, PROCESSING EVERYTHING WAS REALLY TOUGH.

I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.

I HAVEN'T BEEN TO KOREA IN OVER 30 YEARS, 30 YEARS, LITERALLY, SO, IT'S LIKE GOING BACK TO A COUNTRY THAT I HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT, SO -- IT WAS REALLY TOUGH.

AND A LOT WAS GOING THROUGH MY MIND ALL THE WAY THROUGH UNTIL THE DAY I GOT ON THAT PLANE.

>> YOU ALMOST MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, I MEAN, YOU TOOK TWO BULLETS, A BULLET IN THE SPINE FOR THE UNITED STATES, AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, IF YOU DON'T MIND MY ASKING, WHY YOU NEVER APPLIED FOR CITIZENSHIP.

>> YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, I CAME WHEN I WAS 7 YEARS OLD.

LEGAL RESIDENT WITH A GREEN CARD, THROUGH MY MOTHER AND EVERYTHING.

I NEVER --I ALWAYS THOUGHT I WAS ALMOST EQUIVALENT AS A CITIZEN.

I NEVER JOINED THE MILITARY TO GET A CITIZEN, IT WASN'T LIKE THAT.

I ALWAYS FELT LIKE, I AM AN AMERICAN, BECAUSE I CAME HERE SO EARLY, AND WITH THE LEGAL GREEN CARD, I THOUGHT I WAS --I COULD JUST LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES LIKE A NORMAL CITIZEN.

AND THEN, I HAD OTHER PRIORITIES, I WAS STILL YOUNG, AND NEVER THOUGHT GETTING CITIZENSHIP WAS ON THE TOP OF MY PRIORITY, BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS AN AMERICAN, I SERVED FOR THE COUNTRY, AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS --NORMAL AND LEGAL FOR ME TO JUST LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES WITH A GREEN CARD.

I REALLY FELT THAT WAY.

OBVIOUSLY I WAS WRONG.

>> THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD ARGUE THAT A PERSON WHO BREAKS THE LAW, ESPECIALLY A FELONY, ACHIEVING CITIZENSHIP THROUGH NATURALIZATION IS A PROVE LENL, PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT, AND YOU FORFEIT THAT RIGHT BY BREAKING THE LAW.

>> 100%.

I MADE MISTAKES.

I WAS --EXACTLY, I HAD A DRUG ADDICTION, IT WASN'T LIKE A VIOLENT CRIME, I WASN'T HURTING OTHER PEOPLE, I WAS HURTING MYSELF.

NOW, I REALIZE, IT WAS MOSTLY DUE TO MY PTSD AND OTHER PROBLEMS I HAD, BUT I NEVER, LIKE, DENIED THAT FACT THAT, YES, I DID BREAK THE LAW, I WASN'T IN THE RIGHT CLEAR MENTAL STATE.

EVEN WITH MY KIDS, EVERYTHING, IT WAS TOUGH, IT WAS TOUGH LIVING THAT LIFE AS AN ADDICTED PERSON, TRYING TO MAKE IT THROUGH EVERY DAY WITH THE STRUGGLE OF BEING A DRUG ADDICT.

SO, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHEN PEOPLE SAY THAT ABOUT ME, BECAUSE THAT'S WHO I WAS AT THE TIME.

STRUGGLING WITH DRUGS.

>> SO, WE DID REACH OUT TO I.C.E.

ABOUT WHY YOUR DEFERRED ACTION WAS REVOKED AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF COMPLIANCE, AS MR. RAMOS JUST LAID OUT, AND THIS IS WHAT THE AGENCY SAID IN A STATEMENT.

THEY SAID, SAE JOON PARK'S EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL HISTORY INCLUDES CONVICTIONS FOR POSSESSING, MANUFACTURING, OR SELLING A DANGEROUS WEAPON, CARRYING A LOADED FIREARM IN A PUBLIC PLACE, ASSAULT, AND CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.

IN 2010, AN IMMIGRATION JUDGE ISSUED HIM ABOUT ORDER OF REMOVAL.

PARK'S APPEAL TO THE BOARD OF IMMIGRATION APPEALS THAT SAME MONTH WAS DISMISSED BY THE BOARD IN APRIL 2011.

WITH NO LEGAL BASIS TO REMAIN IN THE U.S. AND A FINAL ORDER OF REMOVAL, PARK WAS ALLOWED TO SELF-DEPORT TO KOREA.

PRESIDENT TRUMP AND SECRETARY NOEM HAVE BEEN CLEAR, CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE NOT WELCOME IN THE U.S.

IF YOU COME TO OUR COUNTRY AND BREAK OUR LAWS, WE WILL FIND YOU, ARREST YOU, AND DEPORT YOU.

THAT'S A PROMISE.

SO, THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT, SO, CAN I HEAR FROM EACH OF YOU ABOUT HOW YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY CAME UP WITH THE MANUFACTURING --BECAUSE I'VE NEVER DONE THAT, I'VE NEVER MANUFACTURED NO DANGEROUS WEAPON.

YES, I HAVE BEEN ARRESTED WITH POSSESSION OF A GUN.

THE REASON WHY I MOVED TO HAWAII FROM L.A. WAS, WE WERE VICTIMS, OUR FAMILY IS, THE LA RIOTS, OUR STORE BURNT DOWN, GOT ROOTED.

IN THAT TIME, JUST GOING TO WORK IN SOUTH CENTRAL L.A., I WOULD ALWAYS CARRY A GUN.

I DIDN'T HAVE A PERMIT, BUT IT WAS FOR SAFETY, AND ONE DAY, I GOT PULLED OVER AND I HAD A CONCEALED WEAPON ON ME, THAT'S WHERE THAT GUN CHARGE CAME FROM.

AND THE FIRING WAS, I WAS CELEBRATING ME JOINING THE ARMY ON TOP OF -- A COUPLE OF FRIENDS, SHOOTING UP IN THE AIR, THE FIREARM, POSSESSION OF GUN, THOSE TWO ARE REAL, BUT I NEVER MANUFACTURED NO GUNS OR SOLICITED -- I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY GOT THAT FROM, BECAUSE THAT WASN'T WHAT I DID.

THAT WAS NOT PART OF THAT.

>> MR. RAMOS, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT?

YOU HEARD THE I.C.E.

STATEMENT.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THAT?

>> YEAH, SO, FIRST OF ALL, I'LL SAY, MR. PARK WAS NEVER WHAT THEY QUOTED AS A CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN.

HE CAME HERE AS A GREEN CARD HOLDER.

SO, I JUST WANT TO GET THAT RECORD STRAIGHT.

AND THEN, THE SECOND PART I WANT TO RESPOND TO WITH THAT COMMENT WITH DHS IS, WHAT DOES DEPORTING --HOW DOES DEPORTING SOMEONE LIKE MR. PARK, A PURPLE HEART VETERAN, WHO SERVED THIS COUNTRY, TOOK TWO BULLETS FOR THIS COUNTRY, AND DESPITE HIS PAST MISTAKES, WAS ABLE TO TURN HIS LIFE AROUND, REDEEM HIMSELF, RAISE TWO KIDS, V A HAVE A JOB, AND AT THE SAME TIME, TAKE CARE OF HIS ELDERLY MOTHER, WHO IS FACING EARLY ON- SET STAGES OF DEMENTIA?

HOW DOES THAT -- HOW DOES DEPORTING HIM MAKE THIS COUNTRY SAFER?

WHEN I THINK ABOUT MR. PARK'S SITUATION, RIGHT, THERE'S A LOT OF VETERANS LIKE HIM WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH WHAT HE'S GONE THROUGH, SUFFERED PTSD FROM DY DEPLOYMENT, THEY WENT THROUGH DRUG ADDICTION, AND LIKE MR. PARK, THEY OVERCOME IT.

AND THEY GET SUPPORT TO OVERCOME IT.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM AND MR. PARK IS THAT MR. PARK HAS THIS IMMIGRATION STATUS OF HIS THAT EFFECTS HIS ABILITY TO STAY IN THE UNITED STATES, AND PUNISHES HIM FOR PAST MISTAKES, EVEN THOUGH HE SHOWED THAT HE'S REDEEMED HIMSELF.

AND I THINK IN EVERY ASPECT OF MR. PARK, BESIDES PAPER, HE IS AN AMERICAN.

EVERY SENSE OF HIM, EVERY PART OF HIS STORY, IS AMERICAN.

I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY PARTS OF IT THAT I THINK PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY CAN RESONATE WITH.

>> SO, MR. PARK, WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO GO BACK TO KOREA AFTER NOT HAVING LIVED THERE FOR SO MANY YEARS?

DO YOU EVEN SPEAK KOREAN ANYMORE?

>> LUCKILY, I DO, BECAUSE OF MY MOM.

I TAKE CARE OF HER, SHE SPEAKS FLUPTLY CAREER YAN.

SO, AT HOME, I DID KEEP THAT PART.

I CAN'T READ OR WRITE, AND I GUESS IT'S BROKEN KOREAN, IT'S NOT LIKE I SPEAK IT PERFECTLY, BUT ENOUGH TO GET BY.

IT'S OVERWHELMING.

THE FIRST THREE, FOUR DAYS, I COULDN'T STOP CRYING FOR HOURS EVERY MORNING, JUST -- EVERYTHING SINKING IN, I THINK MY PTSD WAS ACTING UP A LITTLE MORE.

FEELING ASHAMED, YOU KNOW, BEING KICKED OUT OF THE COUNTRY, COMING BACK TO A COUNTRY I HAVEN'T BEEN.

SO, IT HAS BEEN REALLY TOUGH.

IT HAS BEEN REALLY TOUGH.

IT'S --TOMORROW WILL BE EXACTLY ONE MONTH SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

IT'S BEEN A LONG MONTH.

SO I'M DOING MY BEST.

I'M STILL HOPEFUL MAYBE ONE DAY I CAN MAKE IT BACK TO MY FAMILY, MY REAL FAMILY IN HAWAII.

>> SO, MR. RAMOS, BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, DOES MR. PARK HAVE ANY RECOURSE?

>> YES, HE DOES.

WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THESE LEGAL OPTIONS, AND I'VE EXPRESSED THIS TO MR. PARK BEFORE, IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG PROCESS, AND A LONG SHOT.

SO, THE MAIN THING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS, WE SENT IN A REQUEST A MONTH AGO TO THE QUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO REPLEAD THOSE TWO CONVICTIONS THAT CAUSED HIS DEPORTATION ORDER IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO, OUT'S THE POTION IT'S THE POSSESSION OF THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AND THE JUMPING BAIL.

THERE'S A NEW LAW IN 2023 FROM THE SECOND CIRCUIT THAT MAKES HIS POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE NO LONGER A REMOVABLE OFFENSE.

HOWEVER, HE STILL HAS THIS BAIL JUMPING CONVICTION, WHICH IS THE AGGRAVATED FELONY THAT BARRED HIM FROM ANY KIND OF RELIEF OR CANCELLATION OF REMOVAL.

SO, WHAT WE SENT IN A REQUEST WITH TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN QUEENS IS THAT --ASKING IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE WITH US TO AT LEAST TAKE THAT BAIL JUMPING FROM A FELONY AND DROP IT DOWN FROM A MISDEMEANOR.

IF IT IS DROPPED DOWN TO AT LEAST A MISDEMEANOR, IT ALLOWS US SOME OPPORTUNITY TO REOPEN HIS REMOVAL ORDER IN IMMIGRATION COURT, REQUEST THE COURT TO THEN VACATE IT AND IF ALL THOSE CONVICTIONS ARE VACATED, AND THE REMOVAL ORDER IS VACATED, THEN THERE'S POSSIBLY A PATHWAY FOR HIM TO COME BACK TO THE UNITED STATES.

>> THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.