An American soldier who sought refuge in Canada after serving in the Iraq war has complied with her deportation order. Kimberly Rivera presented herself at the border on Thursday, and was immediately arrested, the Globe and Mail reports.
An American soldier who sought refuge in Canada after serving in the Iraq war has complied with her deportation order. Kimberly Rivera presented herself at the border on Thursday, and was immediately arrested, the Globe and Mail reports.
Rivera faces punishment for being absent from her unit, said advocates on her behalf. Rivera fled to Canada to avoid a second deployment to Iraq, a war which she felt was unconscionably wrong.
Rivera’s husband and four children—two of whom were born in Canada—also crossed the border on Thursday, but went separately so her children did not have to see Rivera arrested by the military.
Rick Dykstra, the parliamentary secretary to Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, confirmed the deportation in the House of Commons, to many cheers from the Conservative benches. He said he did not believe Rivera would face any punishment from the U.S. government. Two Iraq war resisters have previously been deported from Canada, both were imprisoned for a year on charges of desertion when they returned to the United States.