‘I Am Proud To Be Her Husband,’ Says Army Sergeant After ICE Detains Newlywed Wife at Military Base

In an incident that has sparked widespread outrage on social media, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested the wife of a U.S. Army staff sergeant upon her arrival at the military base, just days after the couple tied the knot.

On April 2, Sergeant Matthew Blank, 23, and his wife Annie Ramos, 22, arrived at Fort Polk, Louisiana, to register Ramos as a military spouse and begin the process of moving her onto the base. However, ICE agents reportedly entered the facility, detained Ramos, and transferred her to a detention center in Basile, according to a statement from Blank’s mother, Jen Rickling, to ABC News.

“I never imagined that trying to do the right thing—registering my wife so she could receive her military ID, access the benefits she is entitled to as my spouse, and begin the process toward her green card—would lead to her being taken away from me,” Sgt. Blank said. “Instead of preparing for our future together, I am now fighting for her freedom.”

“I grew up here like any American,” Ramos told The New York Times by phone from the detention center. “This is all I know. My husband and family are here.”

Ramos, who was born in Honduras, was just 20 months old when she was issued a removal order, according to family attorney Jessie Schreier.

Spouses of U.S. military service members may be eligible for certain immigration benefits, including expedited citizenship and the ability to adjust their status without leaving the United States, even if they entered the country without authorization.

“Her deportation would tragically separate her from her husband, Staff Sergeant Matthew Blank, who is preparing for the possibility of his third overseas deployment,” added Schreier.

Ramos may also qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a policy that allows certain undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to receive temporary protection from deportation. However, the program remains closed to new applicants following ongoing legal challenges.

Ramos previously received a scholarship from TheDream.US, which helped fund her education. “Detaining a 22-year-old biochemistry student who has lived here for two decades and is married to a U.S. Army staff sergeant preparing for deployment doesn’t make us safer—it weakens a military family, undermines our basic values, and exposes how far we’ve fallen as a nation,” said Gaby Pacheco, president and CEO of TheDream.US. “Annie Ramos should be released from detention and returned to her family.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said Ramos was taken into custody after “attempting” to enter the military base.

“She has no legal status to be in this country and was issued a final order of removal by a judge,” the spokesperson said. “This administration is not going to ignore the rule of law. She illegally crossed the southern border and entered the U.S. in February 2005. After failing to appear for her immigration hearing, she was issued a final order of removal on April 7, 2005.”

Ramos’ sister-in-law, Elizabeth Kluball, said the family is “shaken” by the arrest, despite Ramos’ “deep roots and connections in the country.”

“This situation has placed an enormous emotional and financial strain on all of us, especially as my brother faces the challenges of serving our country while worrying about his wife’s future,” she wrote on GoFundMe.

“We are doing everything we can to support her, but the legal process is complex and costly. The funds raised will go directly toward legal fees and to help the family cover unexpected expenses during this difficult time.”

The campaign has raised $26,807 of its $30,000 goal so far.

The incident also triggered a wave of reactions on social media, with some users criticizing the Trump administration.

“A U.S. Army staff sergeant and his wife, Annie Ramos, were about to start their life together. Instead, ICE arrested her. No one is safe in Trump’s America. Full stop,” one user wrote.

“Army staff sergeant Matthew Blank with his bride Annie Ramos reported for duty and registered on the base for housing,” another wrote. “ICE thugs grabbed Ramos because as an infant her undocumented parents brought her to America, formerly the land of the free.”