SAN DIEGO (AP) — Parents of a U.S. Marine were detained by federal immigration officials, with one parent subsequently deported after visiting family at a California military base. Steve Rios, a Marine from Oceanside, shared that his parents were taken into custody last month while picking up his pregnant sister at Camp Pendleton. Esteban Rios and Luisa Rodriguez, who immigrated from Mexico 30 years ago and had pending green card applications, were initially stopped by immigration agents and later released with ankle monitors. During a mandated check-in, they were detained, with Esteban ultimately being deported on the grounds of their legal status. This incident has raised alarms regarding how strict immigration policies affect military families, with the Marine Corps clarifying that recruiters do not guarantee immigration relief. The Department of Homeland Security reiterated that legal violations have consequences and the situation showcases a broader trend of military families being ensnared in immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
U.S. Marine's Family Faces Immigration Crackdown at Military Base
The detention and deportation of the parents of a U.S. Marine at Camp Pendleton highlights the government’s strict immigration policies impacting military families.
Esteban Rios and Luisa Rodriguez, parents of U.S. Marine Steve Rios, were detained by immigration officials after visiting their family at Camp Pendleton. Esteban was later deported despite pending green card applications. This incident reflects ongoing immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, affecting military families and indicating a shift in promises made by Marine recruiters about immigration relief.
