Democrats investigating efforts to deport service members, families

Senate Democrats investigating efforts to deport service members, families Comments: by Ashleigh Fields - 08/10/26 11:43 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Ashleigh Fields - 08/10/26 11:43 AM ET Comments: Link copied

NOW PLAYING

A group of more than 60 Democratic lawmakers sent a letter Sunday to Trump administration officials regarding the conversion of military installments into effective “traps” for noncitizens who are service members and their families.

Members of Congress, led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), cited several instances of service members, their spouses and parents being arrested on bases, which they say is a direct blow to military morale and readiness.

“Aside from legal concerns, DoD’s new practices create a chilling effect on service members and their families, who may avoid accessing bases, medical care, housing offices, or support services—or leave the military entirely—out of fear that routine interactions could lead to detention or deportation,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter obtained by The Hill and sent to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

“It is clear that immigration enforcement against non-citizen service members, veterans, and military families impacts morale and military readiness,” they added.

Lawmakers said the Trump administration has refused to provide the exact number of military service members who have been detained under the increased immigration operations.

However, an investigation led by their offices found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 125 veterans, “nearly two thirds of whom did not have an active criminal warrant,” and attempted to deport at least 282 veterans and family members.

The White House and ICE did not respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the matter. The Pentagon said it would respond to the authors of the letter directly.

Members of Congress have said the effort to deport service members is “deceptive” and “immoral.”

“DoD’s participation in civil immigration enforcement activities raises both ethical and legal concerns, including potential violations of the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits using the armed forces of the military for civilian law enforcement, unless expressly authorized by Congress or the Constitution,” lawmakers wrote.

“Additionally, if service members were to be swept up in any of these enforcement actions, this could constitute a violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which provides protections to all members of the United States military on active duty, including non-citizens, from civil actions—such as immigration proceedings—that interfere with their military duties,” they added.

The letter called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Pentagon “to restore longstanding policies recognizing military service as a significant mitigating factor in immigration proceedings” and to “clarify their policies and practices regarding coordination between DHS and military installations, the scope of these actions, the legal authorities being used, and the safeguards in place to protect service members, veterans, and their families from unjust enforcement actions.”

According to a report from Congress, nearly 50,000 foreign nationals are serving in active and reserve components of the armed forces as of February.

An estimated additional 125,000 foreign nationals who are veterans or have previously served on active duty reside in the U.S., according to statistics obtained in 2024, per the report.

Noncitizens must hold a green card and legally live and work in the U.S. to enlist in the military. Immigrants who are in the country illegally cannot join.

Many noncitizen service members quickly transition to citizenship, with tens of thousands naturalizing through military service via expedited processes available during periods of conflict, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

“Beginning in 2008, the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program allowed eligible noncitizens (including refugees, asylees, and certain nonimmigrant visa holders maintaining their legal status for two years or more) with in-demand skills, particularly in health care and critical languages, to join the military in exchange for expedited U.S. citizenship,” wrote the Migration Policy Institute, a think tank established in 2001.

“Approximately 10,400 noncitizens were recruited through this program. However, in 2016, the Obama administration ordered enhanced background screening of MAVNI recruits because of national-security concerns, delaying enlistments under the program. Additional background checks were introduced during the Trump administration and authorization expired in 2017,” it added.