A US soldier's wife who was detained by immigration agents at the military base where he is stationed - just days after their wedding - has been released.
Annie Ramos, 22, an undocumented immigrant who came to the US as a toddler, was arrested on 2 April and spent five days at a detention centre alongside hundreds facing deportation under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
Immigration officials described Ramos as an illegal alien from Honduras who was arrested after attempting to enter a military base.
I feel awesome. Relieved. Relieved, Staff Sergeant Matthew Blank told the New York Times after his wife's release. These have been the worst days of my life.
I can't wait to carry my wife into our home and start our lives together, Blank said. I'm complete and ready to serve our country. And it's her country, too.
Blank, who enlisted more than five years ago and has served in the Middle East and Europe, is scheduled to begin training later this month ahead of another deployment.
Ramos, a biochemistry student, said she was focused now on securing her status, continuing her studies, and building a life with her husband.
All I have ever wanted is to live with dignity in the country I have called home since I was a baby, she said. I want to finish my degree, continue my education, and serve my community - just as my husband serves our country with honor.
The Department of Homeland Security has stated that Ramos has no legal status to be in this country.
DHS officials did not respond when contacted regarding her status.
The couple had travelled from Houston to the Louisiana base to obtain a military ID for Ramos and activate her military spouse benefits, with plans to move her onto the base over Easter weekend. Instead, Blank said, she was ripped away from him. During their appointment at the base, they presented Ramos's birth certificate, Honduran passport, their marriage license and Blank's military identification.
Ramos was placed in handcuffs by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and taken away in a military vehicle. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, where the Blank family is from, contacted Blank to inform him he would advocate for Ramos' release.
"I'm happy Annie is back with her husband and family where she belongs," Senator Kelly said after Ramos's release. "They never should have gone through this painful process, but far too many families like theirs are because of this administration."
Officials reported that Ramos entered the US illegally in 2005 and had a final removal order issued after not appearing at an immigration hearing at the age of 22 months. The detention case has drawn extensive criticism, particularly regarding its impact on military family morale.
Gaby Pacheco, president of TheDream.US, a scholarship organization for undocumented immigrants, emphasized that detaining a student married to a service member weakens families and undermines the nation's values.
