An investigation into the roundup of American service members’ relatives by Donald Trump’s immigration agents has been launched by scores of lawmakers.
The probe comes after the Associated Press found more than 50 spouses and parents of active-duty troops have been swept up in the president’s immigration crackdown. The Daily Beast previously reported on the detentions, which have led to at least six family members being deported.
In a letter sent Sunday evening to the Department of Homeland Security, the Pentagon, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 60 Democrats vowed to establish whether the agencies are teaming up to expel troops’ family members.
They warned in the letter, provided to the Associated Press: “These efforts imperil military readiness, weaken service members’ morale, and betray America’s promises to the people who put their lives on the line for our nation.”
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, 77, is spearheading the investigation alongside Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, 80, Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, 58, and a group of House Democrats. “Donald Trump is breaking our country’s promises to service members by tearing apart dozens of military families who were promised immigration protections,” Warren said. “That’s just plain cruel, and it’s hurting our military readiness and morale.”
Troops’ parents and spouses were shielded from removal for decades under presidents of both parties. The AP found those safeguards have been stripped away as part of Trump’s mass deportation drive. Some service members have had to postpone deployments to care for their children after a spouse was seized. The lawmakers also demanded to know why military recruiters continue to dangle immigration protections as a perk of signing up.
“This report is appalling and shows the unbelievable cruelty at the center of the Trump immigration agenda,” said Blumenthal, the senior Democrat on the Senate veterans’ affairs committee. “We will be demanding answers and accountability.”
The letter landed days after Trump, 80, created the Military Spouse Commission—chaired by Jennifer Rauchet, wife of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, 46—to improve life for troops’ partners. In an Aug. 6 letter in the Federal Register, the president wrote that military spouses are “intrinsically linked to the good order, readiness, and retention of our military.”
The Pentagon told the AP it would “reply directly to the authors of the letter,” while DHS said, “U.S. military service alone does not automatically grant lawful immigration status, or exempt aliens from the consequences of violating U.S. immigration laws.”
The VA, the White House, and Republican Sens. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Jerry Moran of Kansas, who chair the Senate committees on armed services and veterans’ affairs, did not respond to the AP.
Danitza James, president of Repatriate Our Patriots, which supports military families and veterans facing deportation, told the outlet: “They trust our government to take care of their families, and they’re not doing that.”
The Daily Beast contacted the White House, DHS, the Pentagon, and the VA for comment. The White House referred us to DHS.
A DHS spokesperson said in a statement: “DHS and ICE value the contributions of all those who have served in the U.S. military. U.S. military service alone does not automatically grant lawful immigration status, or exempt aliens from the consequences of violating U.S. immigration laws.
“Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation’s laws. Military service by an immediate relative does not automatically grant parole, lawful status, or immunity from immigration enforcement; if you are in the United States illegally, you are subject to enforcement. Programs like Military Parole in Place (MIL-PIP) are NOT automatic—ICE will not ignore the immigration laws of our country.”
