Wife of U.S. Soldier Released After Five Days in Immigration Detention

Annie Ramos, 22, was released from an immigration detention center on Tuesday after five days in custody. U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Blank, 23, and an undocumented immigrant who arrived in the United States as a toddler.

Ramos was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at Fort Polk, Louisiana, on April 2. The couple had gone to the base to complete paperwork allowing Ramos to move in with Blank. Blank enlisted in the Army more than five years ago and is scheduled to begin training for deployment at the end of the month.

Within hours of their arrival, agents took Ramos into custody, citing a final deportation order issued in April 2005 when she was 22 months old. Ramos has no criminal record and is a college student. She grew up in Houston, Texas, where she and Blank celebrated their marriage with family and friends days before the detention.

The incident occurred amid broader immigration enforcement actions by federal authorities.

Monday, family members and supporters contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices to prevent Ramos's deportation.

Those efforts did not result in immediate assistance, according to Blank. Ramos was held at a detention center with hundreds of other women facing deportation proceedings. The case received attention after reporting by The New York Times, which detailed the circumstances of the detention.

Blank described the period as difficult for the couple. Ramos's release allows her to return to her husband, though her immigration status remains unresolved.

situation highlights challenges faced by mixed-status families involving military personnel.

The deportation order from 2005 stems from her entry as a minor without legal status. U.S. citizen soldier. Affected parties include Ramos, Blank, and their families, who have experienced separation due to the detention.

U.S. military has policies supporting family unity for service members, but immigration enforcement operates separately. No further details on upcoming hearings or decisions were available.