Democrats probe Trump administration over deportations of immigrant troops

More than 60 Democratic lawmakers on Sunday accused the Trump administration of deliberately turning military bases into “deportation traps” for immigrant troops and their families, citing scores of reported cases where service members faced detention or removal after completing their service. In a letter sent to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick Garland, senators Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal and Tammy Duckworth demanded an immediate review of policies they say are undermining military recruitment, morale and national security.

The investigation centers on a sharp rise in enforcement actions against legal permanent residents and other noncitizens who joined the armed forces under programs designed to expand the military’s ranks. Advocacy groups report dozens of cases in which service members—some with deployments to war zones—were detained after routine immigration checks, while their spouses and children faced the same risk. Veterans’ organizations say the pattern discourages enlistment among immigrant communities already skeptical of government promises. The lawmakers’ letter points to a 2020 Pentagon memo that streamlined citizenship for noncitizen troops as evidence that recent enforcement contradicts stated policy.

Records obtained by congressional staff show at least 42 immigrant service members and 110 family members have been arrested or placed in deportation proceedings since 2021, with the majority occurring near large installations in Texas, California and Florida. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on the letter, while DHS referred questions to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has not responded to multiple requests for data. Immigrant-rights groups say the crackdown echoes the Obama-era surge in removals but now targets people who wore the uniform. In a 2023 survey, nearly one in five noncitizen veterans reported avoiding medical care or benefits for fear of exposing relatives to ICE.

The lawmakers have given the administration two weeks to respond and are preparing a resolution that would block any use of military property for immigration enforcement. If the pattern continues, military recruiters warn, the armed forces could lose thousands of qualified enlistees who once saw service as a fast track to citizenship. The dispute also tests whether the Pentagon can reconcile its stated support for immigrant troops with the broader immigration policies of a second Trump term.