An active-duty U.S. soldier has been reunited with his wife after she was released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody following about a month of detention. The wife, who was detained in April during an immigration appointment, was held despite the appointment having been intended to protect military spouses from deportation.
The soldier, identified in reporting as Jose Serrano, said his wife was detained during the April visit and remained in ICE custody for roughly a month before officials released her. The family said the detention came as a shock because the appointment was supposed to provide protections for military spouses seeking immigration services.
After her release, the couple were able to reunite. The soldier described relief at having his wife back after weeks apart and the stress the family experienced while she was detained. The incident has drawn attention to how immigration enforcement interacts with military families and to the processes in place for protecting spouses of service members.
ICE confirmed the woman’s release but has not publicly detailed the agency’s reasons for the initial detention or the terms of her release. Legal advocates and some lawmakers have previously raised concerns about detainee processing at immigration appointments and about gaps that can leave military families vulnerable.
The family’s situation underscores the wider challenge faced by service members whose relatives have unresolved immigration issues and has renewed calls from advocacy groups for clearer safeguards to prevent detentions at appointments designed to protect military spouses.