A U.S. Army veteran who had lived in the United States for more than five decades was deported to Jamaica on Tuesday, according to his family.Godfrey Wade, a Jamaican-born lawful permanent resident and military veteran, was taken into custody last year by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and ultimately removed, despite appeals from his family and advocates.Christian Wade, his daughter, told Newsweek that her father informed the family he would begin the "outtake process" at 10:30 p.m. Central time on Wednesday and believed he was already on a flight to Jamaica."Unfortunately, my dad will be arriving in Jamaica today," Christian Wade told Newsweek in an exclusive statement.Newsweek has contacted ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, for comment....Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, told Newsweek in December: "On September 18, ICE arrested Godfrey Oliver Wade, a criminal illegal alien from Jamaica. His criminal history includes domestic assault, criminal trespass, reckless conduct, deposit account fraud, violation of probation, multiple arrests for driving on a suspended license."In 2014, an immigration judge ordered him removed after he failed to show up for his immigration hearing. This repeat offender is now off our streets and no longer able to terrorize Americans.""My dad is not the 'worst of the worst,'" Christian Wade said. "While he has had legal issues in the past, those cases were resolved and do not define who he is today." Godfrey Wade arrived in the United States in the 1970s as a teenager and later enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving honorably before building a life in Georgia. He is the father of six children and a grandfather, with close family ties in the U.S. Despite his military service and length of residence, immigration authorities cited an outstanding removal order issued years earlier as the basis for his deportation.Migrants without legal status and green card holders are eligible to serve in the U.S. military.Christian Wade described mixed emotions surrounding her father's deportation, saying she felt relief that his detention had ended while expressing disappointment with the legal process."I honestly can't describe my feelings. It's a feeling that is foreign to me. In this moment, I'm choosing to lean on peace. I have peace of mind that my dad is no longer suffering mentally and physically in the inhumane detention centers. I have peace that I can now give him a hug. I have peace that my girls can now see their grandad after five months of missing him."In September, the police in Conyers, Georgia, pulled Godfrey Wade over for a minor traffic violation, and he was found to be driving without a valid license. During the stop, local authorities referred him to ICE. After his arrest, Godfrey Wade was taken to Atlanta's ICE field office before being transferred to the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, a privately operated facility known for housing immigrants awaiting removal. While there, he faced challenging conditions, reports said. He was later moved to the Richwood Correctional Center in Louisiana as part of the removal process.While authorities cited a 2014 removal order as the basis for Godfrey Wade's deportation, saying he had failed to appear at a previous immigration hearing, his family disputed that he ever received proper notice of the hearing. They also noted that he had never been convicted of a felony. Because of the 2014 order, Godfrey Wade has not had the opportunity for a hearing on his case, and his attorney has filed an appeal requesting that it be reopened.Christian Wade said: "The fight is not over. I will continue to fight for my dad and his opportunity to be heard in court. I will continue to speak up. It just saddens me the most that in the eyes of our government, simply asking for the chance to stand before a judge was considered too much to ask for."In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it's not "both sides," it's sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.