Wife of active US Army sergeant at risk of deportation to 3rd country
DHS says she was ordered deported after a 2019 illegal-entry conviction, while her court protection bars removal to El Salvador.
- On April 14, Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Deisy Rivera Ortega during a routine appointment in El Paso, Texas, where she sought 'Parole in Place' status. Rivera Ortega is the wife of active-duty Army Sgt. First Class Jose Serrano, who has served 27 years.
- Although an immigration judge granted Rivera Ortega protection from deportation to El Salvador in 2019, the Trump administration has expanded detentions of individuals with similar protections, seeking to remove them to third countries instead.
- The Department of Homeland Security called Rivera Ortega a 'criminal illegal alien' with a 2019 removal order, while attorney Matthew Kozik argues she never received a final order and has a right to contest deportation.
- Sgt. First Class Jose Serrano, a 27-year Army veteran, cannot travel to Mexico due to military restrictions if his wife is deported. "ICE is out of control right now," Serrano said, expressing distress over the detention.
- Rivera Ortega remains in ICE custody at the El Paso processing center as of Sunday. The detention reflects broader policy shifts where the administration eliminated Biden-era limits on ICE operations, expanding arrest eligibility for military family members.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Deisy Rivera Ortega Detained: Army Veteran Fears for Wife Held by 'Out of Control' ICE
An active-duty US Army Sergeant is fighting to save his family after federal agents took his wife into custody during a routine meeting in Texas. Despite his decades of military service, the veteran now faces a desperate race against time to prevent her immediate deportation. The sudden arrest has sparked a fierce row over how the government treats the spouses of those serving in uniform. Sgt. First Class Jose Serrano has spent 27 years in the U…
ICE detains Army sergeant’s wife at immigration appointment
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Federal agents handcuffed and took away a U.S. Army soldier’s wife in front of him during an appointment at an immigration office in El Paso. Sgt. 1st Class Jose Serrano asked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents why they were taking his wife, Deisy Rivera Ortega. Serrano said he was only [...]
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