Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions of family members of U.S. service members are occurring even as the Pentagon increasingly relies on immigrant communities to fill its ranks. These instances involve relatives of service members, including those with no violent criminal record, being detained or deported, a trend that has drawn concern amid a growing number of legal permanent residents, or green-card holders, enlisting in the military.
Army Spc. Jasmine Hernandez described her distress after her father, Aniceto Hernandez-Reyna, was detained by ICE earlier this year. Hernandez had submitted her father for Military Parole in Place, an immigration program designed to allow undocumented parents and other close relatives of service members to remain in the United States. An Army legal notice stated that uncertainty over a family member's immigration status can affect a service member's ability to focus on duties. Despite the pending application, ICE officers detained Hernandez-Reyna, who had several traffic violations, including a DUI in 2002, but no records of violent crime. His daughter expressed that his detention felt like a "slap in the face" while she serves the country.
This situation is not isolated. In April, an Associated Press investigation found that over 50 spouses and parents of service members had been detained during President Donald Trump's second term, with at least six deported. In another case, Annie Ramos, the wife of Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Blank, was detained by federal agents shortly after marrying him, based on a removal order issued when she was an infant. Ramos was later released with an ankle monitor, but the Department of Homeland Security indicated efforts to deport her would continue.
"All I have ever wanted is to live with dignity in the country I have called home since I was a baby," Ramos said in a statement. "I want to finish my degree, continue my education, and serve my community -- just as my husband serves our country with honor."
Danitza James, CEO of Repatriate Our Patriots, an organization assisting deported family members of service members and veterans, called the number of detention and deportation cases "heartbreaking."
Military Recruitment Trends
The Pentagon has seen a significant increase in recruitment from immigrant communities. Last year, the military recruited nearly 11,000 green-card holders, a 62% increase from approximately 6,800 in 2021. This upward trend is projected to continue. Earning citizenship through military service has long been a recruiting incentive, with the number of troops becoming U.S. citizens through service more than tripling since 2020. More than 16,000 service members were naturalized in 2024.
Katherine Kuzminski, an expert on military recruitment and director of studies at the Center for a New American Security, noted that filling military ranks has historically involved recruiting from immigrant populations. Approximately 13 million green-card holders reside in the U.S. as of January 2025. Currently, nearly 50,000 foreign nationals serve in the U.S. military, and an additional 125,000 foreign national veterans live in the United States.
The U.S. military is becoming more diverse, with Hispanic recruits making up nearly 27% of new soldiers in the Army last year, a notable increase from just under 20% in 2020. This growth occurs as the military works to overcome recruiting challenges, with only an estimated 23% of Americans aged 17 to 24 eligible to serve due to factors like passing entrance exams. Projections indicate a shrinking pool of eligible young Americans in the coming years, intensifying the need for the military to draw from a diverse population.
ICE Presence on Military Bases
In some instances, ICE operations have extended to military bases. Last year, ICE agents were stationed at three Marine Corps bases—Camp Pendleton in California, Quantico in Virginia, and Marine Corps Base Hawaii—to assist with base security. A federal judge recently ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the return of a Mexican national deported after attempting to visit his pregnant daughter, who lived on Camp Pendleton with her Marine husband. The judge ruled that the individual's due process rights were violated, as he was deported without notice or a hearing.