U.S. military families face detention amid immigration enforcement shift

An investigation by the Associated Press has revealed that dozens of parents and spouses of active-duty U.S. service members have been detained by federal immigration authorities since early 2025. This shift in enforcement follows the rollback of protections for military families under the current administration's mass deportation policies.

One high-profile case involves Maisa Lopes Eliaser, a Brazilian national married to Army Staff Sgt. Alexis Jaramillo. After spending over a month in federal custody, Eliaser was placed on a deportation flight to Brazil. However, mid-flight, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers received a phone call and offered her the choice to return to the United States. She chose to return to Louisiana, where she has been released while seeking to reopen her immigration case.

The detention of military families has drawn scrutiny from Congressional Democrats, who have launched an inquiry into the practice. Senator Mark Kelly has criticized the policy, stating that targeting military families does not solve systemic immigration issues. The detentions have reportedly impacted military readiness by disrupting childcare and causing service members to take leave from their duties.