A U.S. Army veteran who was deported to Mexico has won the legal battle to return to the U.S. and become a citizen.

Hector Barajas-Varela was twice deported to Mexico after living in the U.S. since he was 7 years old, and has lived in Mexico since 2010, NBC News reported.

“This is great! I’m going home, Ma!” Barajas-Varela said, according to a statement released by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

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The ACLU had fought for Barajas-Varela to be able to return to the U.S.

“Finally, after years of fighting for the rights of deported veterans to return to the U.S., Hector will be able to return home as an American citizen," Jennie Pasquarella, director of immigrants' rights for the ACLU of California, said in the statement.

Barajas-Varela served in the Army for six years before his honorable discharge in 2001. He earned awards such as the Army Commendation Medal and Humanitarian Service Medal during his service.

He was deported to Mexico in 2002, however, after a struggle with substance abuse and pleading no-contest to shooting at an occupied vehicle, according to NBC. He returned to the U.S. but was deported again in 2010.

During his time in Mexico, Barajas-Varela created the Deported Veterans Support House in Tijuana with the help of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in San Diego.

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) pardoned the veteran last year, and Barajas-Varela’s naturalization ceremony will take place next month.