The newly married wife of a U.S. Army staff sergeant was reportedly apprehended by the authorities last week when she visited her husband’s Louisiana base to establish her military spouse benefits. This might affect the soldier’s future deployment.
Annie Ramos, a 22-year-old woman from Honduras, is currently pursuing higher education. She does not have a criminal record. Ramos has been incarcerated in a detention facility in Basile, Louisiana, following her visit to Fort Polk with her new husband, Staff Sgt. Matthew Blank.
The couple, who were recently married on April 1st in Houston, made arrangements for a 2 pm appointment at the base’s visitor center on Wednesday. They were able to show her passport, birth certificate, her U.S.-issued marriage license, and his military ID. When the couple was asked about her visa or green card, the matter took another turn when the staff summoned the base’s criminal investigations division and even ICE.
Blank says they intended to visit the place to obtain her military ID and begin the process for her military spouse benefits. After this, she was supposed to join him after Easter.
Instead, she was handcuffed and transferred to another building, where she was handed over to ICE agents who escorted her out.
Jen Rickling, Blank’s mother, stated that the agents apologized for their actions, saying that it was necessary for them to take the steps that they had taken.
Ramos entered the country as a toddler and settled down in Houston. In 2005, when she was two years old, she was deported in absentia by the immigration judge. An immigration lawyer has described this as a routine practice during this period.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed her arrest, stating that Ramos has no legal status in the country and has a final removal order.
Ramos had applied for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2020, but her application was refused as the program had already been suspended for new applicants by the previous government.
Prior to their marriage, the couple engaged an immigration lawyer to initiate the residence procedure. The experts agree that, normally, spouses of U.S. citizens, regardless of whether they have any prior deportation order against them, are not arrested and can adjust their status.
Stock pointed out that, before the deportation policy adopted during President Donald Trump’s tenure, Ramos would not have been apprehended. She stated that in this case, the military would simply issue her a military ID and advise the couple to complete some immigration paperwork.
According to Stock, ICE can deport Ramos at any moment. She termed this case a national security threat.
“The U.S. Army is treating this man poorly, and that is dangerous to our national security in a time of war,” she said. “This is a big issue for this soldier. His focus should not be on this.”
The couple’s attorney filed a motion asking ICE to release her pending the reopening of the 2005 deportation order, which would effectively block her removal. Over the weekend, Blank and his mother came to the detention center with a green card application that required only Ramos’ signature, but the guards prevented them from entering with the form.
Gaby Pacheco, president of TheDream.US, an organization that funded Ramos’ biochemistry degree, sent a letter of recommendation.
On the phone from the detention facility, Ramos identified herself as American on every point.
“Everything that matters to me is American. I’ve grown up here, I’m American. My family and husband are here.”
Matthew Blank, who has seen active service in the Middle East and Europe, says that his commanders have been very understanding about his situation. The couple is determined to get married and start a family.
The U.S. Army was not reachable for comment.
