Annie Ramos, the wife of a US army staff sergeant, has been released from federal custody after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at her husband's military base in Louisiana. Her release on Tuesday follows her detention on 2 April, days after she married Matthew Blank, a 23-year-old army staff sergeant preparing for deployment.
Ramos, who is 22, came to the United States from Honduras as a toddler. In 2005, a removal order was issued for her after her family missed an immigration hearing, according to the New York Times. She had applied for protection from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) scheme in 2020, but her application was not processed.
In a statement after her release, Ramos said: 'All I have ever wanted is to live with dignity in the country I have called home since I was a baby.' The Department of Homeland Security, which cited a final removal order in her case, previously said in a statement: 'This administration is not going to ignore the rule of law.'
Ramos said her focus is on obtaining legal status, adding: 'I want to finish my degree, continue my education, and serve my community – just as my husband serves our country with honor. 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.'
