ICE detains wife of U.S. veteran during immigration check-in

Officials then transferred her to a detention facility in Oklahoma. Martinez, 40, originally from Honduras, first entered the United States in 2005 and received a final order of removal that same year. She returned in 2018 and was placed on supervised release.

Background on the case Martinez and her husband, retired Staff Sgt.

Trujillo, 45, served nearly 20 years in the U.S. Army and Texas National Guard, including two tours in Iraq, before retiring in 2021. The couple has a combined family that includes Martinez's 20-year-old son and Trujillo's two daughters from a previous marriage. Martinez has no criminal record in the United States, according to public documents.

Legal steps and prior applications After their marriage, Martinez applied for the parole-in-place program. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services rejected the application in November 2024 because an active removal order remained in place.

Her attorney, Mark Shmueli, has filed a motion in Texas court seeking to block deportation until a judge reviews the case. ICE acknowledged the motion on Friday and indicated the case could be eligible for a stay.

Pattern of similar detentions Martinez is at least the third military spouse detained by ICE during scheduled appointments in recent months. In April, authorities detained and later released the wife of an active-duty soldier in El Paso after a parole-in-place interview.

Also in April, ICE detained the wife of another active-duty soldier when the couple sought a military ID. She spent five days in detention before release. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the Trump administration will enforce removal orders and will not ignore the rule of law.