ICE agents are now arresting military spouses and foreign nationals at USCIS offices during routine green card interviews.
Story Snapshot
- ICE began detaining military spouses at San Diego USCIS facilities during marriage-based green card interviews on November 12, 2025
- At least six confirmed arrests occurred within 15 days, targeting individuals solely for visa overstays despite legal marriages to U.S. citizens
- Active-duty Navy sailors and other service members are losing their spouses to detention, creating family crises and potential military readiness concerns
- The enforcement represents a complete departure from decades of established immigration practice that protected visa overstayers in marriage-based cases
Trump Administration Ends Decades of Immigration Protection
The Trump administration’s new enforcement strategy targets foreign-born spouses at USCIS marriage-based green card interviews, ending a long-standing protection that allowed visa overstayers to adjust their status when married to U.S. citizens. Beginning November 12, 2025, ICE agents positioned themselves inside San Diego USCIS facilities to arrest applicants during scheduled administrative appointments. This tactical shift exploits the predictable nature of USCIS interviews, where applicants voluntarily present themselves believing they are protected under established immigration law.
Military Families Bear the Brunt of New Enforcement
Active-duty service members are experiencing devastating family separations as ICE detains their foreign-born spouses during routine green card interviews. Navy sailors and other military personnel report shock and betrayal after their wives were arrested despite believing military families received special consideration. The detentions occur regardless of medical conditions, with at least one diabetic Norwegian woman detained despite serious health needs. These arrests leave military families fractured and children without parental care, potentially impacting military readiness and retention.
Watch:
Operational Efficiency Drives New Enforcement Strategy
ICE has identified USCIS facilities as operationally efficient enforcement locations due to confined environments, pre-screened building entry, and documented overstay admissions during interviews. The strategy targets individuals from diverse nationalities including Norway, Australia, Europe, Asia, and India, demonstrating the broad scope of enforcement actions. Immigration attorneys report empty waiting rooms in multiple cities as word spreads about the detentions, creating a chilling effect on marriage-based green card applications nationwide.
Constitutional Concerns and Government Overreach
The enforcement actions raise serious questions about government overreach and the weaponization of administrative processes against legal families. These detentions violate the traditional understanding that USCIS offices serve administrative rather than enforcement functions, betraying the trust of military families who served our nation faithfully. The practice effectively eliminates legal protections that have existed for decades, demonstrating how federal agencies can rapidly change established procedures without congressional oversight. This represents a dangerous precedent where government facilities become traps for citizens and their legally married spouses seeking legitimate immigration benefits.
