Newlywed wife of US soldier freed by ICE after detention at military base
Newlywed wife of US soldier freed by ICE after detention at military base
Staff Sergeant Matthew Blank’s wife, Annie Ramos, an undocumented immigrant who arrived in the US as a child, was detained by immigration agents at the base where he is stationed shortly after their wedding. She was released following five days of custody, during which she was held alongside others facing deportation under policies intensified during the Trump era.
“I feel awesome. Relieved. Relieved,” Blank told the New York Times after Ramos’s release. “These have been the worst days of my life.”
Ramos, 22, was arrested on 2 April and spent time in a detention center. Immigration officials referred to her as “an illegal alien from Honduras” and cited her attempt to enter the military base as the reason for her arrest. The couple had traveled from Houston to a Louisiana base to apply for a military ID for Ramos and access her spouse benefits, planning to relocate her to the base during Easter weekend. Instead, she was separated from Blank last week.
“I can’t wait to carry my wife into our home and start our lives together,” Blank said. “I’m complete and ready to serve our country. And it’s her country, too.”
Ramos, a biochemistry student, emphasized her focus on stabilizing her legal status and completing her studies. “All I have ever wanted is to live with dignity in the country I have called home since I was a baby,” she stated in an interview with the BBC. “I want to finish my degree, continue my education, and serve my community—just as my husband serves our country with honor.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed Ramos had “no legal status to be in this country.” Officials did not respond to BBC inquiries about her case on Tuesday. Ramos entered the US illegally in 2005, and a final removal order was issued after she missed an immigration hearing. At the time of her arrival, she was approximately 22 months old.
“Being in detention is a choice,” said an ICE statement. “We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure using the CBP Home App,” it added, noting the administration’s offer of financial incentives and a free flight for voluntary deportation.
Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, whose family is based in the state, reached out to Blank to advocate for Ramos’s release. A senator’s spokesperson confirmed that Kelly also spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who was already aware of the situation. “They never should have gone through this painful process,” Kelly told the BBC after Ramos’s return. “But far too many families like theirs are affected by this administration.”
Legal experts noted that the current administration has shifted away from previous practices of granting leniency to service members’ families in immigration cases. The detention also sparked backlash from advocates, who argue it damages morale among troops. Gaby Pacheco, president of TheDream.US, called the incident a “wake-up call.” “Detaining a 22-year-old biochemistry student who has lived here for two decades and is married to a U.S. Army staff sergeant preparing for deployment doesn’t make us safer—it weakens a military family, undermines our basic values, and shows how far we’ve fallen as a nation,” she said.
