PHOENIX — Veterans, lawmakers, and immigration advocates gathered outside the Phoenix ICE Field Office on Friday to protest the deportation of Sergeant José Barco, a decorated Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient. Barco, who served two tours overseas, was deported early Friday morning, according to advocates, leaving his family and supporters uncertain about his whereabouts.

Barco enlisted in the U.S. Army at 17 and served as an infantryman during two deployments to Iraq. During one mission, his Humvee was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED), throwing him from the vehicle. Despite severe burns and injuries, Barco ran back into the burning Humvee to rescue two fellow soldiers, suffering a traumatic brain injury and long-term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the pr

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