Duckworth, Lawmakers Slam Trump’s Efforts to Tear Apart Military Families, Convert Military Bases into Deportation Traps

Duckworth, Lawmakers Slam Trump's Efforts to Tear Apart Military Families, Convert Military Bases into Deportation Traps

Senate investigation revealed ICE has attempted to deport 282 Veterans and their relatives, in potential violation of law that prevents the use of military against civilians

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in leading an extensive group of Senate and House Democratic lawmakers in pressing the Trump Administration on its efforts to coordinate to arrest, detain and deport hundreds of Veterans and military families. In their letter to the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the lawmakers lambasted the Administration for betraying the sacrifices of our heroes, which in turn destroys morale and weakens our military readiness.

"These efforts imperil military readiness, weaken servicemembers' morale and betray America's promises to the people who put their lives on the line for our nation," wrote the lawmakers.

In April 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rescinded its long-standing policy that treated military service a "significant mitigating factor" when deciding whether to pursue immigration enforcement and replaced it with a new policy stating that military service alone "does not automatically exempt" non-citizens from enforcement actions.

In September 2025, Duckworth and Warren opened an investigation into the impacts of these policy changes on military families. The investigation revealed that ICE has attempted to deport 282 Veterans and their relatives. But DHS refused to disclose the number of active-duty troops and their families who have been threatened by the administration's policy.

But new reports indicate that DoD and DHS appear to be coordinating to convert military bases into "traps" for individuals this administration deems deportable and has detained non-citizens during routine check-ins, visits and drop-offs at or near military installations. At the same time, DoD has continued to recruit new servicemembers with the promise of immigration protections.

Recent reporting by the Associated Press reveals that, since January 2025, more than 50 parents and spouses of active duty servicemembers have been detained and at least six have been deported. ICE's statistics show that the agency has arrested 16 non-citizen Armed Forces members since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2026. Some servicemembers have reportedly needed to take leave or delay deployment because ICE detained their families.

"DoD's participation in civil immigration enforcement activities raises both ethical and legal concerns, including potential violations of the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits using the armed forces of the military for civilian law enforcement," continued the lawmakers.

The coalition warned that if servicemembers were to be swept up in any of these enforcement actions, it could separately constitute a violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which provides protections to all members of the United States military on active duty, including non-citizens, from civil actions-such as immigration proceedings-that interfere with their military duties.

"Servicemembers must have confidence that their sacrifices will be honored, not used against them or to target their loved ones," continued the lawmakers. "DoD's new anti-immigrant practices risk deterring future recruits and damaging the credibility of military recruitment efforts-which promised to care for servicemembers even after their time in uniform."

The lawmakers requested that the agencies explain the enhanced coordination between DoD and DHS, restore long-standing immigration protections for family members of servicemembers and explain what steps they are taking to protect troops, Veterans and their families from unjust immigration enforcement by August 23, 2026.

In addition to Duckworth, Warren and Blumenthal, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

In the House, the letter was led by U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH-02), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-07) and signed by an additional 40 Democratic Representatives.

The letter was endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Immigration Defenders Law Center, the Seattle Clemency Project, Common Defense, Repatriate Our Patriots and League of United Latin American Citizens.

Full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth's website.

Duckworth has been leading the charge advocating against the Trump Administration's cruel efforts to target military families and Veterans in its extreme deportation campaign. In May, the Senator successfully secured the release of military spouse Deisy Rivera Ortega from ICE detention after the Senator personally called DHS Director Markwayne Mullin advocating on Ms. Rivera Ortega's behalf. In June, Duckworth lambasted the Administration for gutting the Immigrant Military Members and Veteran Initiative (IMMVI), a collaboration between the DHS and VA created in 2021 to help streamline immigration processes for Veterans and their families. Earlier this year, the Senator introduced bicameral legislation that aims to protect military families from deportation and forced separation detrimental to military morale and mission readiness.

Duckworth has also long fought to protect pathways to citizenship for noncitizen servicemembers and Veterans, as well as the benefits they earned through their service. Last November, Duckworth reintroduced her sweeping package of legislation that would prohibit the deportation of immigrant Veterans who are not violent offenders, provide these Veterans with a pathway to citizenship through their military service and help ensure those who have already been deported can access the VA healthcare services they are entitled to.

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