Immigration and Customs Enforcement has released the wife of a U.S. Army soldier after detaining her for a month, a move that sparked widespread outrage and intervention from lawmakers. Deisy Rivera Ortega, the wife of Sgt. 1st Class Jose Serrano, was freed from an ICE detention center in El Paso, Texas, on Thursday.
Serrano, a 27-year Army veteran with three deployments to Afghanistan, had been fighting for his wife’s release since she was detained on April 14 during an immigration appointment. Rivera Ortega, a native of El Salvador, had been living in the U.S. for about a decade and was applying for a special immigration program called Parole in Place, which protects military spouses and parents from deportation.
ICE Detention of Military Spouses
Rivera Ortega’s detention was one of several recent cases involving relatives of U.S. service members, which have become more common under the current administration. The Department of Homeland Security had said ICE arrested Rivera Ortega due to a deportation order from 2019 and her conviction for entering the U.S. illegally. However, Serrano said his wife had been working in the U.S. legally with a government permit and was seeking permanent residency through her marriage to a U.S. citizen.
Rivera Ortega’s detention had taken a toll on Serrano, who has been treated for a traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and depression. He said his wife’s release was a huge relief, and they plan to continue following the immigration process to resolve her legal situation.
Reaction and Implications
Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a combat veteran, had personally called Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to request Rivera Ortega’s release. Duckworth said she was thankful for the secretary’s decision but emphasized that military families should not face such situations. White House border czar Tom Homan had also pledged to look into Rivera Ortega’s case, acknowledging that it was a difficult one.
The release of Rivera Ortega highlights the challenges faced by military families navigating the complex immigration system. As the debate over immigration policy continues, cases like Rivera Ortega’s underscore the need for a more nuanced approach that considers the sacrifices made by military families.
