Wife of US Coast Guard Member Arrested by Immigration Agents

The woman was taken into custody pursuant to an order of removal.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent watches as illegal immigrants are loaded onto an aircraft at Tucson International Airport in Tucson, Ariz., on Jan. 23, 2025. Senior Airman Devlin Bishop/DOD

The wife of a U.S. Coast Guardsman has been taken into custody, the Coast Guard said.

The woman was arrested at Naval Air Station Key West on April 24, a Coast Guard spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email on April 28.

“The spouse is not a member of the Coast Guard and was detained by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in coordination with the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) pursuant to a lawful removal order,” the spokesperson said.

Removal orders are typically issued by immigration judges for noncitizens for situations such as visa violations or the denial of asylum requests.

Noncitizens married to U.S. citizens can apply for a green card through marriage.

“The Coast Guard works closely with HSI and others to enforce federal laws, including on immigration. Reflecting our commitment to our workforce and their families, the Coast Guard provides appropriate support to dependents who are lawfully present in the United States, in accordance with established programs,” the Coast Guard spokesperson added.

The Coast Guard also said it is conducting an investigation “to determine the circumstances regarding this Coast Guard member and his spouse.”

The member is assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mohawk, officials said. The cutter returned to Key West, Florida, on March 24 after a 70-day deployment, according to a statement.

The identities of the member and the spouse are not public as of yet. It’s also not clear why the order of removal was issued.

The Coast Guard, which is within the Department of Homeland Security, referred questions about the spouse’s current status to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE is part of DHS, and HSI is part of ICE.

ICE declined to comment on the arrest, referring comment back to the Coast Guard.

HSI says on its website that it works to “shield our nation from global threats to ensure Americans are safe and secure.”

Under President Donald Trump, government agencies have ramped up enforcement of immigration laws, including within the country’s interior.

“We are in the beginning stages of carrying out the largest deportation campaign in American history,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a press conference in Washington on April 28.

Thomas Homan, Trump’s border czar, warned people who had received a removal order that they would face escalating fines.

“We will prosecute and then we’ll deport you,” he said at the briefing.