The wife of an active-duty Army sergeant and mother of a 6-year-old was deported to Honduras on Monday, according to the sergeant and the Department of Homeland Security.

Army Sgt. Hedar Leonel Turcios Juarez said his wife, Cristy Maryori Villafranca Trejo, was removed from the United States. He said her deportation has come amid what advocacy groups describe as increased immigration enforcement affecting the spouses and parents of military personnel.

Turcios Juarez confirmed that United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Villafranca outside a Walmart in July while their daughter was watching. He said Villafranca left Honduras in 2016 because of violent crime there.

After attending high school in the United States, Turcios Juarez joined the Army and became a US citizen in 2024 following a nine-month deployment to the Middle East. He said he had begun pursuing citizenship for his wife, hoping his service would help speed up her naturalisation process.

A DHS spokesperson said the department had removed Cristy Maryori Villafranca-Trejo in line with US law. In a statement, DHS said ICE conducted a targeted operation on July 11 to arrest her, adding that she illegally entered the country in 2016 and had been released under the Obama administration.

Turcios Juarez Says Wife Was Targeted In July

Turcios Juarez said his wife had been “supportive” throughout his military service, including during his deployment, and he argued she was not a threat. He said the family’s focus was keeping them together.

He and other military families described fears that enforcement actions are reaching into households where one parent serves in uniform.

An Associated Press investigation reported that President Donald Trump’s second-term deportation campaign has swept up more than 50 parents and spouses of service members, with at least six deported.

Other Cases Involve Detention Of Spouses

Danitza James, chief executive of Repatriate Our Patriots, which works with Families United to help service members reunite with relatives, said the group also relies on contacting Congress for assistance. She said it is working with eight active-duty service members and one veteran whose family members were detained as of 20 August.

ABC News spoke with families involved in two cases. In one, Army Staff Sgt. Alexis Jaramillo, stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana, said his wife, Maisa Lopes Eliaser, was taken into custody in front of him during an appointment to be interviewed for a green card.

Jaramillo said Lopes Eliaser arrived in the US from São Paulo, Brazil, in 2019 on a tourist visa and overstayed while he worked to pursue her legal status. He said she spent two days in Pickens County Jail in Georgia before being transferred to the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center, where she slept in a large room with around 80 people for about six weeks.

Army Staff Sgt. Alexis Jaramillo's wife, Maisa Lopes Eliaser was taken into custody in front of Jaramillo, who was dressed in uniform. Picture courtesy of ABCnews

He said that on 13 July, ICE put her on a bus to Alexandria International Airport in Louisiana and flew her to Bogotá, Colombia, before her final trip to Brazil. He said she used someone else’s phone to call him during a layover. Jaramillo said he was in contact with Sen. Mark Kelly, a Navy veteran, before and during the case.

Kelly’s office told ABC News that its team established communications with the ICE field office and provided updates to Jaramillo. ABC News reported that DHS did not respond to a request for comment on Lopes Eliaser’s case at the time.

Policy And Citizenship Pathway Under Scrutiny

The reported cases test an approach long described as protecting military families within the immigration system. The National Military Family Association says undocumented parents and spouses of service members have generally been shielded from deportation under policies adopted by both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Military recruiters have also promoted service as a route to citizenship, and lawmakers have created pathways for troops and certain relatives. Green card holders may join the US military, and troops can apply for naturalisation after one year of honourable service.

A DHS spokesperson said in response to another recent ICE arrest that having a family member in the military is not an automatic exemption from immigration enforcement, adding that military service by an immediate relative does not grant parole, lawful status or immunity.

Racial and ethnic minorities make up a growing share of the force. In the Army, Hispanic recruits rose from about 19% of new enlistments in 2020 to nearly 27% last year, based on internal data reviewed by ABC News. Department of Homeland Security figures cited by ABC News show naturalisations connected to military service more than tripled from about 4,500 in 2020 to 16,000 in 2024.

Congress Seeks Explanations

Congressional Democrats have raised questions about whether the Pentagon and DHS are coordinating enforcement affecting service members and their families. In a letter sent on 9 August to DHS, the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, they said they would investigate whether such coordination is occurring.

James said that addressing the issue requires legislative or policy change rather than individual case interventions.

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25 August 2026

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How to make friends and influence people.

Trump hates Americans as much as foreigners!

Wonder how long before Melania gets deported, due to recent events it surely has been considered. ?

18 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Wonder how long before Melania gets deported, due to recent events it surely has been considered. ?

She is Epstein protected.

19 hours ago, webfact said:

He said he had begun pursuing citizenship for his wife

Something is not right here. As far as I know she needs to be a “green card” holder for 3 years before she applies for citizenship. Is she a green card holder now ? If she is, ice wouldn't go after her !!!

3 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Wonder how long before Melania gets deported, due to recent events it surely has been considered. ?

If there were justice in the USA, as part of the Epstein investigation, the connection with recruiting foreign models (including Solvenia) would be carried out fully with operatives "victims" or those involved named in the court documents. Yes, I know, too many of the rich and famous involved, including the felon in the White House.s

4 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Wonder how long before Melania gets deported, due to recent events it surely has been considered. ?

Pretty sure Nathalie's keeping the boss updated minute by minute on progress.

6 hours ago, OneManShow said:

Something is not right here. As far as I know she needs to be a “green card” holder for 3 years before she applies for citizenship. Is she a green card holder now ? If she is, ice wouldn't go after her !!!

She was not a green card holder.

She entered illegally in 2016.

In 2017 an immigration judge issued a final order of removal after she missed a hearing.

When ICE detained her in 2026, the basis was the outstanding removal order and her unlawful presence,

Under U.S. immigration law, a final order of removal gives the government the authority to detain and deport the person. The fact that she later married a U.S. service member, had a U.S.-citizen child, and was trying to adjust status does not automatically cancel or suspend a prior final removal order.

President Bill Clinton signed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) into law on September 30, 1996.

39 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

She was not a green card holder.

She entered illegally in 2016.

In 2017 an immigration judge issued a final order of removal after she missed a hearing.

When ICE detained her in 2026, the basis was the outstanding removal order and her unlawful presence,

Under U.S. immigration law, a final order of removal gives the government the authority to detain and deport the person. The fact that she later married a U.S. service member, had a U.S.-citizen child, and was trying to adjust status does not automatically cancel or suspend a prior final removal order.

President Bill Clinton signed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) into law on September 30, 1996.

Surely any country would deport a foreigner if they entered illegally, Thailand as an example does it all the time!

Of course the UK has yet to catch on to this principle?😄

Did anyone ask him who he voted for ?

Edited August 26Aug 26 by Chomper Higgot

1 hour ago, mikeymike100 said:

Of course the UK has yet to catch on to this principle?😄

You don't half come out with some nonsense. 80,000 asylum seekers had their claims rejected last year and were sent back. On top of that there were almost 10,000 forced repatriations, and 30,000 voluntary repatriations.

What's your source that the UK doesn't do this?

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-march-2026/how-many-people-are-granted-asylum-in-the-uk

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-march-2026/how-many-people-are-returned-from-the-uk

All numbers on the rise under Labour by the way. Asylum rejections up 57%, forced repatriations up 7% YOY.

Edited August 26Aug 26 by josephbloggs
Typos

17 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

You don't half come out with some nonsense. 80,000 asylum seekers had their claims rejected last year and were sent back.

The figure of 80,000 mixes up two different government statistics: 80,000 total returns of various immigration offenders (not just rejected asylum seekers) and 80,000 pending asylum appeals in the courts

he could have done the paperwork. he didnt, now blames the government

2 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

The figure of 80,000 mixes up two different government statistics: 80,000 total returns of various immigration offenders (not just rejected asylum seekers) and 80,000 pending asylum appeals in the courts

You seem to have forgotten a link for that.

80,000 had their claims rejected last year. This is according to verifiable home office data.

Are we about to get in to one of your usual pedantry / semantic thread derails?

Regardless of whatever words you want to pick out it doesn't change my argument that mikeymike was talking rubbish by saying the UK doesn't do this.

Thank you.

4 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

You seem to have forgotten a link for that.

80,000 had their claims rejected last year. This is according to verifiable home office data.

Are we about to get in to one of your usual pedantry / semantic thread derails?

Regardless of whatever words you want to pick out it doesn't change my argument that mikeymike was talking rubbish by saying the UK doesn't do this.

Thank you.

No, I shan't reply anymore .

Happy now ?

Just now, Nick Carter icp said:

No, I shan't reply anymore .

Happy now ?

Extremely!

Just now, josephbloggs said:

Extremely!

Anyone would think that this was a discussion forum .

With Latinos making up, one reads, 27% of the personnel of the US armed forces, do they have a death wish in terms of morale?

7 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Anyone would think that this was a discussion forum .

You offered, I didn't ask!

49 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

You don't half come out with some nonsense. 80,000 asylum seekers had their claims rejected last year and were sent back.

The Backlog: Over 80,000 people are waiting for an asylum appeal in the courts after the Home Office rejected their initial claims.

32 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

The Backlog: Over 80,000 people are waiting for an asylum appeal in the courts after the Home Office rejected their initial claims.

That's great (you forgot your link again though - seems you are quite forgetful), but it's a completely different thing. I am not talking about backlogs.

80,000 people had their asylum claims rejected last year.

This is a link -> https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-march-2026/how-many-people-are-granted-asylum-in-the-uk

Backlogs, appeals, nothing to do with anything.

And I see you didn't keep your promise. Off down the rabbit hole we go...

11 hours ago, mfd101 said:

How to make friends and influence people.

yes by enforcing laws.. I feel sorry for her but she should have entered the US legally.

A person robs a bank and gets aways with it for years. Is a model citizen afterwards. He needed the money to help

his family and start business. Then years later he's caught, should he just be set free because he was a good person afterwards??

11 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Wonder how long before Melania gets deported, due to recent events it surely has been considered. ?

why she is a US citizen, this person was not.

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

You don't half come out with some nonsense. 80,000 asylum seekers had their claims rejected last year and were sent back. .

8 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

80,000 people had their asylum claims rejected last year.

Were not sent back as first claimed .

They had their asylum claims rejected and stayed in the UK to appeal the decision .

You don't half come out with some nonsense. :)

57 minutes ago, JAG said:

With Latinos making up, one reads, 27% of the personnel of the US armed forces, do they have a death wish in terms of morale?

dont think so.. all my Latino friends in the US that are legal are all for enforcement of immigration laws.

It appears when someone does it the right way, they expect others to do the same and kind of get upset when people cut the line.

Umh, the SSgt's wife was going through the required process to become a US citizen.

I understand the father of the Sailor on the USS Lincoln who was deported was also legal.

It is purely racially driven, and blind to any circumstances or mitigating circumstances.

Something to be proud of?

19 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

You don't half come out with some nonsense. 80,000 asylum seekers had their claims rejected last year and were sent back. On top of that there were almost 10,000 forced repatriations, and 30,000 voluntary repatriations.

What's your source that the UK doesn't do this?

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-march-2026/how-many-people-are-granted-asylum-in-the-uk

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-march-2026/how-many-people-are-returned-from-the-uk

All numbers on the rise under Labour by the way. Asylum rejections up 57%, forced repatriations up 7% YOY.

Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration reports and Home Office data show over 50,000 recorded absconders.

People whose claims were rejected, but who vanished into the domestic shadow economy right before deportation proceedings began.

Migrants who arrived (via small boats or other routes), were issued bail paperwork at processing sites, and stopped checking in.

Around 1,200 of these 50,000 are convicted foreign offenders who finished prison sentences and went missing before they could be deported.

In formal disclosures to the Commons Home Affairs Committee, the Home Office admitted that out of ~17,000 withdrawn claims in a single annual batch, 32% (5,598 people) were confirmed to still be in the UK with the government admitting it had zero contact or knowledge of their whereabouts.

The UK lacks a centralized ID card system, making it exceptionally easy to disappear into the cash-in-hand informal economy (car washes, delivery driver account-sharing, construction, agricultural labor)

The UK’s immigration detention network holds only ~2,200 to 2,500 people at any given time, meaning almost all of the tens of thousands of annual arrivals are placed on open "immigration bail," relying entirely on voluntary check-ins.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-march-2026/summary-of-latest-statistics

https://www.itv.com/news/2024-01-18/home-office-loses-track-of-nearly-6000-asylum-seekers

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/inspection-reports-by-the-independent-chief-inspector-of-borders-and-immigration

The ~50,000 absconders figure is located in the official publication: Response to an inspection of management of contact with migrants.

Specifically, you can find it under the Details / Context section of that page:

"The report also references approximately 50,000 cases recorded as absconders, including an estimated 1,200 Foreign National Offenders (FNOs). These numbers were drawn from open absconder flags recorded on the Home Office system (Atlas) at the time of the review..."

On 8/25/2026 at 2:29 PM, webfact said:

A DHS spokesperson said the department had removed Cristy Maryori Villafranca-Trejo in line with US law. In a statement, DHS said ICE conducted a targeted operation on July 11 to arrest her, adding that she illegally entered the country in 2016 and had been released under the Obama administration.

Yup, that liitle bit right there will get you fast-tracked every time.

19 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

You seem to have forgotten a link for that.

80,000 had their claims rejected last year. This is according to verifiable home office data.

Are we about to get in to one of your usual pedantry / semantic thread derails?

Regardless of whatever words you want to pick out it doesn't change my argument that mikeymike was talking rubbish by saying the UK doesn't do this.

Thank you.

Out of roughly 80,000 initial asylum refusals issued on paper:

• Forced deportation rate: Only ~4.4% (around 3,475 people) were physically escorted out of the country by Immigration Enforcement.

• Combined rate (including voluntary departures): Hits ~15% (11,918 people total).

The remaining 85% (around 68,000 people) stay put—either tied up in years of tribunal appeals on bail or quietly walking out of housing to join the ~50,000 active "absconders" working off the books.

Looks like mikeymike was right on the ball!