Wife of Coast Guard Service Member Arrested for Expired Visa During Military Housing Security Check

Washington — Authorities recently arrested the wife of a Coast Guardsman inside the residential section of the U.S. Naval Air Station in Key West, Florida. This took place during a routine security check, prompting federal immigration officials to take action.

Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Steve Roth stated, “The spouse is not a member of the Coast Guard and was detained by Homeland Security Investigations following a lawful removal order.” The Coast Guard collaborates with Homeland Security to enforce federal immigration laws.

Reports indicate that the woman’s work visa expired in 2017, and years later, she was flagged for removal from the U.S. She and her Coast Guard husband married earlier this year. An anonymous official shared these details about the incident.

The Trump administration prioritized immigration arrests, but this case doesn’t seem part of a larger operation. On Wednesday, as the couple was moving into base housing, the woman had to undergo a standard security clearance. During this process, her name raised concerns.

Base personnel contacted the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which began an inquiry. They received approval to enter the base and visit the couple’s home, accompanied by Homeland Security Investigations agents.

HSI ultimately took the woman into custody, and it’s believed she remains detained. Officials have not disclosed her country of origin.

The Coast Guard referred inquiries about her immigration status to ICE, which did not respond to comments. The couple was transitioning into government housing at the base. The husband serves on the USCGC Mohawk, a cutter stationed at Key West, which has been docked since mid-March after returning from a drug-interdiction mission in the Pacific.

The Navy has stated its commitment to cooperating fully with federal authorities, emphasizing the importance of security at naval installations.

Experts point out that incidents like these highlight ongoing tensions around immigration enforcement, especially in sensitive contexts like military families. A recent survey noted that 63% of military families expressed concerns about the potential repercussions of being involved in immigration matters.

As this story unfolds, it underscores a growing discussion about the complexities of immigration law and its impact on military personnel and their families.

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