Why Has a Texas-Born Marine Veteran Been Left 'Stateless' Under U.S. Immigration Policies?

"Democracy Now!" airs weekdays at 9 a.m. PT on KCET.

"Democracy Now!" speaks with with Claudia Palacios, a racial and migrant justice activist and a U.S. Marines veteran. Palacios was among seven people arrested on Friday after blocking traffic in New York City to protest the federal government's new round of deportation raids against Central American families. She was born in Texas through the help of a midwife, rather than in a hospital, because her mother feared being deported. While the military recognized Palacios' birth certificate, allowing her to serve for five years, including stints abroad, the State Department has refused to issue her a passport. "I'm basically stateless, because the U.S. does not recognize my birth certificate," Palacios says.