Military Wife Detained by ICE at Army Base

Newlywed spouse of soldier preparing for deployment arrested despite pending green card application

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:21pm

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A solitary figure of a woman standing alone on a military base, surrounded by warm light and deep shadows, conveying a sense of isolation and vulnerability.The detention of a military spouse at a U.S. Army base exposes the human toll of aggressive immigration enforcement policies.Basile Today

A 22-year-old Honduran immigrant named Annie Ramos was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at the Fort Polk Army base in Louisiana, where she had gone with her husband, U.S. Army staff sergeant Matthew Blank, to register for military spouse benefits. Ramos, who was brought to the U.S. as a toddler and has no criminal record, had applied for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2020 and was in the process of applying for a green card through her recent marriage to Blank.

Why it matters

This case highlights the aggressive immigration enforcement tactics of the Trump administration, which has targeted undocumented immigrants with no criminal records, including those married to U.S. citizens. Experts say Ramos would not have been a priority for deportation under previous administrations. Her detention also raises concerns about the treatment of detainees at the privately-run ICE facility where she is being held.

The details

Ramos was taken into custody and transported over an hour away to the privately-owned South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile after she and her husband attempted to register her for military spouse benefits at the Fort Polk base. She had been issued a deportation order in absentia in 2005 when she was 22 months old, after her family failed to show up for an immigration court hearing. However, experts say it is very rare for people with such old deportation orders to be detained, and that it is typically easy for them to adjust their paperwork.

  • On April 2, Ramos and her husband went to the Fort Polk base's visitor center to get her registered for military spouse benefits.
  • Ramos was then taken into custody by ICE agents and transported to the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile.

The players

Annie Ramos

A 22-year-old Honduran immigrant who was brought to the United States as a toddler, has no criminal record, and was in the process of applying for a green card through her recent marriage to a U.S. Army staff sergeant.

Matthew Blank

A 23-year-old U.S. Army staff sergeant who is set to begin training for deployment next month and had recently married Ramos.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick

A senior fellow at the American Immigration Council who stated that Ramos would not have been a priority for enforcement under previous administrations.

GEO Group

A multibillion-dollar private prison company that runs the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center where Ramos is being held, which has faced numerous complaints about poor conditions and abuse.

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What they’re saying

“She got a deportation order when she was a small child. It's quite possible that, like many people, she didn't even know about it. That's a common situation. Immigration law has always involved choices about whether deportation makes sense or not.”

— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, Senior Fellow, American Immigration Council

“They told us that they didn't have a choice, they said they had to take Annie. I begged them not to take her. They said the higher-ups made them do it.”

— Matthew Blank's mother

“I grew up here like any American. My husband and family are here.”

— Annie Ramos

What’s next

Ramos' lawyer has petitioned the court to reopen her removal order, which could freeze her deportation. Blank and Ramos are also continuing to push forward with the effort to get Ramos a green card, but the guards at the detention facility have refused to let them bring the completed forms inside for Ramos' signature.

The takeaway

This case highlights the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement tactics, which have targeted undocumented immigrants with no criminal records, including those married to U.S. citizens. It also raises concerns about the treatment of detainees at privately-run ICE facilities and the impact of these policies on military families.