Congresswoman Ramirez, Senator Warren Release New DHS Data Revealing Trump Admin Targeting Veterans, Families for Deportation After Promising Protections

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee in the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)released new data obtained from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealing that the Trump administration has attempted to deport hundreds of veterans and their family members after promising immigration protections at the time of recruitment. The new data also reveals that, in some cases, the Trump administration has targeted veterans, their families, and service members' families for deportation even after they have applied for Military Parole in Place.

The new data came in response to the lawmakers' recent investigation, which Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), along with Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.) co-led with Ramirez and Warren.

"The Trump Administration continues to make clear that, in order to meet their arbitrary, inhumane deportation quotas, they are willing to attack those who have worn the uniform and risked their lives. It is an unacceptable betrayal of veterans and their families," said Congresswoman Ramirez."No veteran should ever know the threat of deportation. We must hold the Trump Administration accountable for the lies, the pain and suffering, and the lawlessness of their mass deportation agenda."

In April, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rescinded its long-standing policy of considering military service a "significant mitigating factor" when deciding whether to pursue immigration enforcement and issued a new policythat is far less protective of service members and their families. Even so, the military has continued to recruitnew service members with the promise of immigration protections that have now been weakened or eliminated.

The new data reveal that in the first year of the second Trump administration:

• ICE arrested 125 veterans, nearly two-thirds of whom did not have an active criminal warrant;
• ICE attempted to deport 282 veterans and family members, who have long been offered protection from immigration enforcement under other administrations; and
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has used its 2025 policyon issuing Notices to Appear (NTAs) to refer over 100 immediate relatives of veterans for deportation after denying them the ability to fix their immigration status through Military Parole in Place (MPIP).

For DHS's response, CLICK HERE.