A young woman who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this month was released from custody on Tuesday while deportation proceedings continue, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said. The agency said she is currently subject to an order of supervision and must wear a GPS monitor as she awaits further removal hearings.
Detention and circumstances
DHS officials said Annie Yaritza Ramos Alvarado was arrested on April 2. A DHS spokesperson stated that Ramos "has no legal status to be in this country." The 22-year-old was recently married to Sergeant Matthew Blank, 23.
According to family accounts, Ramos and her husband were at Fort Polk, Louisiana on April 2 with relatives who had come to assist in registering her as a military spouse and moving her into base housing. Jen Rickling, Blank's mother, told ABC News that Ramos was being registered so she could receive the benefits tied to spouse status. While at the base, ICE agents entered the facility and took Ramos into custody.
The DHS spokesperson said ICE arrested Ramos "after she attempted to enter a military base." The agency also said it believes Ramos entered the United States in early 2005 when she was under two years old.
Immigration history and legal posture
Attorney Jessie Schreier was cited by ABC News as saying Ramos, who was born in Honduras, was about 20 months old when an order of removal was issued. The attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from news outlets quoting that account.
DHS said Ramos has been released under supervision on condition of wearing a GPS monitor while she completes the next stages of removal proceedings. The agency added she will be afforded full due process during that process.
Comments from the family
Ramos issued a statement, quoted by ABC News, saying: "All I have ever wanted is to live with dignity in the country I have called home since I was a baby."
Her husband, Sergeant Blank, also issued a statement after her arrest, saying he had been attempting to take steps to register his wife so she could obtain a military identification card, access spousal benefits, and begin the process toward a green card. "I never imagined that trying to do the right thing - registering my wife so she could receive her military ID, access the benefits she is entitled to as my spouse, and begin the process toward her green card - would lead to her being taken away from me," he said. Blank added he was proud of his wife and proud to "serve this country," a comment cited by ABC News.
Context provided by DHS and reactions
ICE, which operates under DHS, has been central to the current administration's efforts to increase enforcement and deportations. The agency's actions under this administration have drawn sharp criticism from rights groups, which the article reports have widely condemned the crackdown as infringing on free speech and due process rights. Advocates have said the enforcement push has created an unsafe environment and raised concerns about racial profiling.
The administration has defended the policy as aimed at curbing illegal immigration and enhancing domestic security, the article notes. At the same time, the crackdown has encountered judicial challenges, creating legal uncertainties for enforcement activity.
Next steps
With Ramos released under supervision and subject to GPS monitoring, the case will proceed through removal hearings. DHS has indicated she will receive full due process during those proceedings. The outcome and timeline of those hearings were not provided.