Staff Sgt. Battles to Prevent Wife's Deportation from Military Base

A U.S. Army staff sergeant is working to prevent his wife's deportation after she was detained by immigration agents inside a Louisiana military base shortly after their wedding.

Staff Sgt. Matthew Blank, 23, brought his wife, Annie Ramos, 22, to Fort Polk last week for processing military benefits and a green card application.

Ramos entered the U.S. in 2005 at under 2 years old. Her family allegedly missed an immigration hearing the same year leading to a removal order.

DACA Application Status

Ramos applied for DACA in 2020, but her application remains pending due to legal challenges against the program.

Blank expressed shock at his wife's detention, believing processing her immigration paperwork on the base was the right move. He described the situation as turning their joyous week into a challenging one.

Policy Change Impact

In 2022, military family ties were considered in immigration enforcement decisions, but that policy has been rescinded. The Department of Homeland Security clarified that prior violations do not exempt individuals from enforcement actions.