NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A U.S. Army staff sergeant is working to prevent his wife's deportation after she was detained inside a Louisiana military base, where the couple had planned to start their life together just days after their wedding.
The detention of Staff Sgt. Matthew Blank's wife, Annie Ramos, 22, born in Honduras, has raised significant backlash from military family advocates who argue that this situation is demoralizing for service members during a time of conflict and could dissuade future recruits.
Blank, 23, expressed his disbelief at the situation, stating, I never imagined that trying to do the right thing would lead to her being taken away from me. What was supposed to be the happiest week of our lives has turned into one of the hardest.
Ramos was taken into custody as part of a broader mass deportation effort initiated during the Trump administration, which has departed from previous policies that offered leniency towards the families of military personnel.
Ramos has been in the U.S. since she was less than two years old, but issues arose after her family failed to attend an immigration hearing in 2005, leading to an order of removal issued by a judge.
Despite Ramos applying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2020, her application remains unresolved amid ongoing legal debates over the program.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated, She has no legal status to be in this country. This administration is not going to ignore the rule of law. Recent changes to immigration policy have further complicated cases like Ramos's, with current enforcement practices no longer considering military service as grounds for leniency in deportation cases.
Margaret Stock, a military immigration law expert, criticized the current approach, stating that it disrupts the stability of military families and could worsen morale among service members.
In September, over 60 members of Congress reached out to DHS and the Department of Defense, expressing concern over the impacts of such deportations on military readiness and morale. The Pentagon has refused to comment on the issue.
Lydiah Owiti-Otienoh, director of the Foreign-Born Military Spouse Network, noted that removing military spouses sends a troubling message and threatens national security stability.
Blank's mother, Jen Rickling, shared her admiration for Ramos and her hopes for a more compassionate system that values military families. Blank remains determined to fight for his wife’s return, stating emphatically, I want my wife home. And I will not stop fighting until she is back where she belongs, by my side.
