ICE Arrested an Army Sergeant's Wife at Fort Polk When She Tried to Register as a Military Spouse
Annie Ramos, 22, was detained for five days after presenting her documents at the Louisiana base. She has lived in the U.S. since she was 20 months old. Her husband, Staff Sgt. Matthew Blank, was preparing to deploy.
Annie Ramos, 22, arrived at Fort Polk, Louisiana on April 2 with her husband, Staff Sergeant Matthew Blank, 23, and family members. They were there to register Ramos as a military spouse -- the first step toward getting her a military ID, base housing access, and eventually a green card through Blank's service.
They presented Ramos's Honduran passport, her birth certificate, their marriage license, and Blank's military identification. Base personnel called a supervisor. The supervisor contacted the base's Criminal Investigation Division. CID called ICE.
Ramos was arrested and taken to an ICE detention facility in Basile, Louisiana.
Twenty-One Years
Ramos was born in Honduras. She crossed the southern border in February 2005. She was 20 months old.
Her family failed to appear for an immigration hearing. On April 7, 2005, a removal order was issued in her name. She was a toddler.
She has lived in the United States for 21 years. She is a biochemistry student with no criminal record. She applied for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, but the program has been blocked for new applicants by ongoing court challenges.
"I Was Trying to Do the Right Thing"
Blank and Ramos were married in late March. He was preparing to deploy.
"She got ripped away from me," Blank said. He described the arrest as the result of trying to follow the proper legal process -- registering his wife on base to access military benefits and begin green card proceedings.
"I was trying to do the right thing -- registering my wife," he said.
Blank's mother, Jen Rickling, was present at the base when Ramos was detained.
DHS Response
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the arrest, stating that Ramos "attempted to enter a military base" and "has no legal status." DHS pointed to the 2005 removal order as the legal basis for detention.
Release
On April 7 -- exactly 21 years after the removal order was issued against her as an infant -- Ramos was released with a GPS ankle monitor. Removal proceedings continue.
In a statement, Ramos said: "I am deeply grateful to my husband, Matthew, who never stopped fighting for me, and to our families and community who surrounded us with love, prayers, and support. Because of them, I am home."
Her attorney, Jessie Schreier, is handling the case. Gaby Pacheco, president and CEO of TheDream.US, has advocated publicly on Ramos's behalf.
The Policy Question
The arrest raises a specific question about the intersection of immigration enforcement and military installations. Ramos was not stopped at a random checkpoint or workplace raid. She was arrested at a military base while attempting to complete paperwork that the military itself requires of service members' spouses.
The path she and Blank were following -- marriage to a U.S. service member, followed by a green card application through military channels -- is a recognized legal process. The arrest interrupted it before it could begin.