Wife of active-duty U.S. Army sergeant detained by ICE in Texas at immigration appointment

Key Points:

• Sgt. First Class Jose Serrano, a 27-year military veteran, is seeking answers after his wife, Deisy Rivera Ortega, was detained by ICE in Texas despite her legal protections against deportation to El Salvador and an active work permit.
• Rivera Ortega was arrested during an immigration office appointment related to a pending Parole in Place application, a program designed to protect military spouses from deportation and help them obtain legal residency.
• The Department of Homeland Security labeled Rivera Ortega a "criminal illegal alien" due to a 2019 conviction for illegal entry and stated she remains in ICE custody pending removal, potentially to a third country like Mexico where she has no ties.
• Legal experts and military advocates criticize ICE's increasing detentions of immigrant spouses of service members, warning that such actions harm military families and readiness by creating uncertainty and stress.
• Rivera Ortega's detention has severely impacted Sgt. Serrano's mental health, and legal efforts, including a habeas petition, are underway to challenge the lawfulness of her detention.