One of the most peculiar moments in the run-up to the 2018 midterms was a trial balloon, floated by President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, to remove birthright citizenship from the children of illegal immigrants via executive order. This is not the first time in recent memory the issue of birthright citizenship for illegal immigrants has come up.

In an era where old debates over immigration are resurfacing, Guor Maker’s only-in-America story is a reminder of how important immigrants are to this nation—and how much they sacrifice to serve and defend their new home.