AP Finds Over 50 Military Spouses And Parents Detained Under Trump Policy
An AP investigation found that at least 52 parents and spouses of active-duty U.S. service members have been detained under President Trump's immigration enforcement since his second term began.[1]
The AP said at least six of those relatives were deported, one self-deported and at least eight remained in custody as of Aug. 5, 2026.[1] Some detentions occurred during routine immigration appointments and forced service members to delay deployments or take leave to care for young children.[1]
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a policy in April 2025 saying military service alone does not exempt noncitizens from immigration enforcement.[1] The policy reversed a decades-long informal practice of generally shielding immediate military relatives from removal, AP's accounting shows.[1] AP compiled thousands of federal court records through the Habeas Dockets project and then verified cases with affected families and lawyers because DHS does not track these detentions as a category.[1]
In a letter to Democratic senators, DHS reported that from Jan. 20, 2025, through Jan. 26, 2026, immigration authorities detained 125 military veterans.[1] It said authorities placed 34 veterans into removal proceedings and arrested more than 150 of their immediate family members.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- AP identified at least 52 parents and spouses of active-duty U.S. service members detained since Trump’s second term began, with at least 6 deported, 1 self-deported, and at least 8 still in custody as of the August 5, 2026 report.
- A DHS policy implemented in April 2025 states that military service alone does not exempt noncitizens from immigration enforcement, reversing a decades-long informal practice of generally shielding immediate military relatives from removal.
- AP’s accounting relies on thousands of federal court records compiled by the Habeas Dockets project plus verification with affected families and lawyers because DHS does not track these detentions as a category.
- In a separate letter to Democratic senators, DHS reported that from Jan. 20, 2025 through Jan. 26, 2026, immigration authorities detained 125 military veterans, placed 34 into removal proceedings, and arrested more than 150 of their immediate family members.
- The investigation documents specific 2025-2026 cases in which spouses or parents of soldiers and airmen were detained or deported during immigration appointments, forcing troops to delay deployments or take leave to care for young children.
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