ICE Detains Newlywed Wife of US Army Sergeant

Annie Ramos, the newlywed wife of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Blank, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at Fort Polk in Louisiana just days after their wedding, according to multiple reports.

The couple had married in March and were attempting to obtain military spouse benefits for Ramos when she was taken into custody on April 2. Ramos, who entered the U.S. from Honduras as an infant, had been subject to a deportation order issued in absentia in 2005 after her family missed an immigration court hearing.

Blank and Ramos had hired a lawyer to begin the process of obtaining legal permanent residency for Ramos through their marriage. However, ICE agents detained Ramos despite these efforts, citing a final order of removal issued by a judge in 2005. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Ramos 'had no legal status to be in this country' and that the administration would not ignore the rule of law.

The couple's case has drawn backlash from military family advocates, who warn that deporting spouses could undermine recruitment and morale. In September 2023, more than 60 members of Congress wrote to DHS and the Department of Defense warning that arrests of military personnel and veterans' family members were 'betraying its promises to service members.' The Pentagon declined to comment on the matter.