SAN DIEGO (AP) — Parents of a U.S. Marine were detained by federal immigration officials, leading to one being deported after a visit to a military base, highlighting the intersection of military service and immigration policies. Steve Rios, the Marine’s son, reported that his parents, Esteban Rios and Luisa Rodriguez, were taken into custody while picking up his pregnant sister and her husband, who is also a Marine, at Camp Pendleton. The couple, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico three decades ago and had pending green card applications, were initially released with ankle monitors, only to be detained during a later check-in with federal officials. Esteban Rios, despite his pride in his son’s service as showcased by his attire, was deported shortly thereafter.

Marine Corps recruiters have historically presented military service as a means for undocumented families to achieve legal status, but recent government policies have reversed this perception. The Marine Corps has now clarified that recruiters cannot suggest that military service will guarantee immigration relief.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, stated that individuals who violate immigration laws would face consequences. The incident is part of a larger pattern of deportations affecting military families, with reports of similar cases, including the detention of a Louisiana Marine veteran’s wife and an Army veteran's arrest amid an immigration raid. The ongoing strict enforcement of immigration laws by the Trump administration draws attention to the vulnerabilities faced by service members' families, raising questions about the implications of these policies on the military community.