The Trump administration has detained dozens of parents and spouses of active-duty U.S. troops as part of its mass deportation agenda, a reversal of a decades-long bipartisan consensus that had largely shielded military families from such actions. An Associated Press investigation found that more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty service members have been detained since President Trump took office, with at least six already deported. At least eight immediate family members of U.S. service members remain in federal immigration custody.
This shift in policy is impacting military readiness, leaving service members without emotional support and caretakers for their children, delaying deployments, and forcing some to take leave. Experts warn that this situation could undermine military preparedness, particularly as the U.S. is engaged in conflicts abroad.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that it does not compile data on these specific cases. The AP gathered information by analyzing federal court records, reviewing media coverage, and verifying details with family members and attorneys. DHS noted that at least seven individuals had prior removal orders and at least two had convictions for offenses such as drunken driving or drug-related crimes. "U.S. military service alone does not automatically grant lawful immigration status, or exempt aliens from the consequences of violating U.S. immigration laws," DHS said in a statement.
Instances of detained family members have prompted public outcry and led to intervention by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in some cases. However, the AP found that military recruiters continue to advertise immigration benefits for enlistees' families, including "military parole-in-place," a policy implemented under President George W. Bush and codified under President Barack Obama that allows certain family members of service members to obtain legal status from within the country. Under the current administration, the average processing time for this benefit has more than doubled.
Some service members have found themselves responsible for childcare alone. Army Staff Sgt. Alexis Jaramillo, for example, is on administrative leave to care for his 5-year-old stepson after his wife was detained during a routine appointment to adjust her status. "It is really overwhelming because I need to take care of my kid by myself. No one is here to help me out," Jaramillo said.
Experts in military immigration law note that this policy represents a significant departure from previous administrations, including Trump's first term. Dan Gividen, a former ICE deputy chief counsel, stated that during his tenure, immigration authorities rarely detained immediate family members of service members unless they had committed violent crimes. Margaret Stock, an immigration attorney and retired Army Reserve lieutenant colonel, explained that the government historically prioritized allowing troops to focus on their duties by preventing such detentions and allowing family members to adjust their status. "It's the same thing that happens if you don't provide healthcare to the troops, or you don't provide housing to the troops," she said, emphasizing the impact on a service member's ability to concentrate on their job.
Even some congressional Republicans have called for the release of service members' relatives. In July, Florida Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar advocated for the release of the wife of a retired staff sergeant who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan. DHS reported that from January 2025 to January 2026, immigration authorities detained 125 military veterans and arrested more than 150 of their immediate family members.
In April 2025, a new policy stated that "military service alone does not exempt aliens from the consequences of violating U.S. immigration laws." This policy has led to situations where troops' immediate family members have been detained while applying for parole-in-place or seeking to adjust their status, sometimes during immigration appointments. Marine Cpl. Jose Manuel Vilchis-Valle's mother was detained and deported within a week of an August 2025 appointment, despite having lived in the U.S. for decades without a known criminal record. "They basically told me that if you serve, and if you served honorably, you can help your parents," Vilchis-Valle said.
While the Marine Corps officially stopped advertising enlistment as a way to protect immigrant family members in June 2025, recruiters for the Army and the National Guard continue to promote these benefits. An Army spokesperson stated that recruiters are expected to highlight service benefits to attract applicants, and military parole-in-place remains in effect. The National Guard referred further comment to DHS. The AP found that even people who had already been granted protection have been detained, with ICE later arguing in court filings that their parole status had been revoked.