At least two U.S. veterans have returned to Arizona after being deported to Mexico.
For years, deported veterans have been advocating for new legislation and asking the federal government for help to bring them back.
Recently, new policies have created a pathway for veterans convicted of nonviolent offenses to return to the states.
"When I got deported, I couldn't believe it," said Milton Tepeyac, a Marine Corps veteran.
Tepeyac returned to Arizona earlier this month after spending nearly a decade in Mexico.
"I never really thought I'd be back home but I never lost hope," he said.
Tepeyac was brought to the U.S. illegally when he was a toddler but eventually got a green card. He told ABC15 that he always considered the U.S. home.
After high school, he joined the Marines where he was deployed multiple times.
He received an honorable discharge after serving eight years.
However, after getting out of the military, Tepeyac got into trouble and was convicted of drug possession.
He was sentenced to four years behind bars.
Instead of going home after serving his sentence, Tepeyac was deported because he wasn't a citizen.
Alex Murillo, a Navy veteran, also grew up in Phoenix and was deported after being convicted of drug possession.
He also spent several years in Mexico before he was allowed to return.
Murillo joined Tepeyac's family earlier this month when they welcomed him home in Nogales.
"Three months ago it was me, I was the lone ranger and now with Milton coming back it feels better," he said. "After we serve our country, after our tour of duty, we get into trouble — that's no secret, the issue is that when we get into trouble as veterans we do our time but we're not allowed to go back to our families."
"We deserve to go home like any other veteran, not exiled," he added.
Both Murillo and Tepeyac have received visas, giving them permissions to come back into the states.
Still, it's unclear how many more other deported veterans are still out there.
A 2019 report found that 250 non-citizen veterans were under deportation threat between 2013 and 2018, and 92 of them were deported.
Advocates believe the number is probably higher.
Deported veterans have also claimed that some of the crimes they commit are the result of PTSD.
"Somehow the ball is dropped, and the veteran doesn't get the help they need," said Murillo.
Last year, President Joe Biden and the Department of Homeland Security began laying out a plan to help those deported.
Part of the plans included the creation of the Immigrant Military Members and Veterans Initiative (IMMVETS) and helping access their VA benefits.
A new online portal also aims to help noncitizen service members and their families.
For Tepeyac, he said he's making it his mission to help other people going through the process.
"We have a motto in the Marine Corps and our motto is never leave a man behind — that's what's going to be my motto with the rest of deported veterans," he said.
Murillo shared that same sentiment.
"We still have deported veterans out there, in other countries waiting to come home, in exile, let's bring our veterans home."
