In brief
The parents of Steve Rios, a U.S. Marine stationed in California, were detained by federal immigration officials during a family visit and faced deportation. This incident underscores the challenges faced by military families with undocumented members amid heightened government enforcement actions.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Parents of a U.S. Marine were detained by federal immigration officials and one was deported after visiting family at a California military base, highlighting concerns about the government's immigration policies affecting military families.
Steve Rios, a Marine from Oceanside, California, reported that his parents, Esteban Rios and Luisa Rodriguez, were taken into custody while picking up his pregnant sister, Ashley, and her husband at Camp Pendleton.
The couple had been in the U.S. for over three decades and were awaiting decisions on their green card applications when they were stopped by immigration agents. Initially released with ankle monitors, they were later detained during a check-in.
Esteban Rios, who was wearing a cap and shirt stating 'Proud Dad of a U.S. Marine,' was deported on Friday. His son recalled, 'He said, ‘Yeah, this is my lucky shirt, so we’ll be fine.’
Historically, Marine Corps recruiters promoted military service as a means for families without legal immigration status to stabilize their situation. However, experts note that this perception has changed with stricter enforcement of immigration laws.
A Marine Corps spokesperson clarified that recruiters are not authorized to suggest that military service guarantees immigration relief for applicants or their families.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, emphasized that those who violate immigration laws will face consequences.
This incident is part of a broader trend, as the Trump administration enforces aggressive immigration measures which have affected relatives of service members. In prior instances, military families have also faced detentions, such as a Louisiana Marine veteran whose nursing wife was detained and an Army veteran arrested at a marijuana farm.
