Afghanistan War Veteran Says Heart 'Started Pounding' After Wife Released From ICE Detention, Faces Deportation Risk

An active-duty U.S. Army soldier and Afghanistan war veteran said his heart “started pounding super fast” when he learned his wife would be released after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in April.

Sergeant First Class Jose Serrano’s wife, Deisy Rivera Ortega, was taken into custody during an immigration appointment in El Paso, Texas. The Department of Homeland Security said she was arrested because of a 2019 deportation order and for illegally entering the U.S. a decade ago.

“I felt very happy,” Ortega told CBS News in Spanish, saying she “could not believe” she was being released after spending a month in detention.

Despite her release, the El Salvador native still faces the possibility of deportation to Mexico. “My wife can be deported at any moment,” Serrano told the outlet, adding that his superiors have been helping the couple.

Ortega arrived in the U.S. in 2016 and was granted legal protection in 2019, according to CBS News. Because of that protected status, she cannot be deported to El Salvador. However, Serrano said immigration officials told him his wife could instead be deported to Mexico.

Serrano, who had planned to retire after nearly three decades in the military, now says he will delay retirement to help cover his wife’s legal expenses. Still, Serrano maintained, “I love this country. And I love my job.”

Before her release, Ortega was fitted with an ankle monitor and ordered to regularly check in with immigration officials. She is also barred from leaving El Paso without notifying ICE and could face home visits from federal agents.

“What’s important is that I’m here, thanks to G-d, who has given me an opportunity,” Ortega said. “We have to follow the rules.”

The Army soldier echoed her relief, saying, “My wife is at home, that’s more important for me.”

He also revealed that while in custody, Ortega was told she could be deported to Mexico — a country where she has no relatives or support system.

“She don't have anybody in Mexico, nobody in Mexico,” Serrano said. “Plus, to be in the military, you're not allowed to go to Juarez.”

John B. Moore, the attorney handling Ortega’s case, said he is pursuing several legal options that could help her obtain permanent U.S. residency through her marriage to Serrano, a U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico.

According to Moore, immigration officials could reopen Ortega’s case and overturn her deportation order, potentially creating a pathway for her to apply for a green card.

Moore also noted that Ortega’s request for protection under the Parole-in-Place program — which can help military spouses and parents avoid deportation consequences tied to illegal entry — was recently denied.

“The point is, their hands are not tied. They have a choice,” Moore said of U.S. immigration authorities.

Serrano said it was “painful” to see his wife being arrested when she was doing the “right thing” by attending an appointment for the Parole-in-Place application.