More than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty US service members have been detained, and at least six have been deported, since Donald Trump returned to office, according to an Associated Press (AP) investigation. This marks the first public accounting of such detentions, which the US government does not track.
The detentions are occurring as the Trump administration rolls back immigration protections for military families as part of its mass deportation agenda. Parents and spouses of military personnel have historically been shielded from deportation under a bipartisan consensus.
At least eight immediate family members of US service members are currently in federal immigration custody. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that US military service alone does not automatically grant lawful immigration status or exempt individuals from the consequences of violating US immigration laws.
Experts warn that this reversal could undermine military preparedness, with some service members experiencing delayed deployments or being forced to take leave to care for their children or address family detentions.