The spouse of a U.S. Army sergeant has been released from federal immigration detention after being held for approximately one month, according to a statement from the office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
Background of the Case
Sgt. Jose Serrano, an active-duty soldier stationed in Texas who completed three tours in Afghanistan, informed the Associated Press that immigration authorities arrested his wife, Deisy Rivera Ortega, during an April 14 appointment with immigration services. The appointment was intended to advance her application for permanent residency.
Senator Duckworth, a Democrat and combat veteran, personally contacted Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Wednesday to advocate for Rivera Ortega's release. Rivera Ortega was subsequently released on Thursday evening.
In a statement, DHS, which oversees U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), confirmed: “Rivera-Ortega has been released from ICE custody with a GPS tracking device, mandatory home visits, and ICE office check-ins. She will receive full due process.”
Family's Situation
Rivera Ortega’s family did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Serrano, stationed in the Fort Bliss area, has been married to Rivera Ortega since 2022. According to DHS, Rivera Ortega entered the United States illegally in 2016, and a judge issued a final removal order in December 2019. Despite this, she held a military spouse ID card and a valid work permit, as noted by Duckworth’s office. She had been applying for the parole-in-place program, which is designed to protect immediate relatives of military members from immigration enforcement while they adjust their legal status.
Policy Changes
In April 2026, DHS eliminated a 2022 policy that considered the military service of an immediate family member as a “significant mitigating factor” in immigration enforcement decisions. The new policy states that “military service alone does not exempt aliens from the consequences of violating U.S. immigration laws.”
According to DHS, more than 100 immediate family members of military veterans have been placed into removal proceedings under the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda.
Following public outcry and intervention from congressional leaders across party lines, some spouses of veterans and active-duty U.S. soldiers have been released from federal immigration custody.
Jack Brook is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
