Federal immigration agents arrested the spouse of an active-duty Coast Guardsman on Thursday on-base at Naval Air Station Key West.
The Coast Guardsman and spouse were at the government housing area on the base on April 24 when agents of Homeland Security Investigations, a part of Immigration and Custom Enforcement or ICE. The family was in the process of moving onto the base in Florida.
Reports of the arrest were posted to social media, including military subreddits on Reddit. The Coast Guard confirmed to Task & Purpose that the spouse of an active-duty member of the Coast Guard was taken into custody.
“The Coast Guard is aware of a law enforcement action by federal authorities involving the spouse of a Coast Guard service member,” a Coast Guard spokesman told Task & Purpose on Saturday. “The spouse is not a member of the Coast Guard and was detained by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) pursuant to a lawful removal order. The Coast Guard works closely with HSI and others to enforce federal laws, including on immigration.”
The Associated Press, citing an unnamed official familiar with the incident, reported additional details. The couple was moving into on-base housing at the naval base and the wife’s name was flagged while undergoing a screening to get a pass to go onto the base. Per the official, the woman’s work visa expired in 2017 and was later marked for removal from the country. She and the Coast Guardsman got married earlier this year. The Associated Press reports that base security as well as Naval Criminal Investigative Service were contacted after the woman’s information was flagged. They went to the couple’s home on base, along with HSI agents, who detained her.
The Coast Guard is a part of the Department of Homeland Security.
The Coast Guard member serves aboard the cutter the USCGC Mohawk, which is based out of Key West, in Coast Guard District 7. The cutter had been at port since mid-March. Task & Purpose reached out to ICE and the specific Coast Guard district for more information but as of press time has not heard back.
It is not clear what will happen to the wife next or if she is still currently being detained by immigration agents.