Fact Check: ICE detains Marine veteran's wife during green card appointment.

Fact Check: ICE Detains Marine Veteran's Wife During Green Card Appointment

What We Know

On May 27, 2025, during a routine immigration appointment in New Orleans, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detained Paola Clouatre, the wife of Marine Corps veteran Adrian Clouatre. This incident occurred while she was seeking a green card, a process that initially seemed to be progressing smoothly until it was revealed that an order for her deportation had been issued in 2018 due to her mother's failure to appear at an immigration hearing (AP News). Paola Clouatre, a Mexican national, entered the U.S. as a minor seeking asylum and had been estranged from her mother for years, making her unaware of the deportation order (CBS News).

During the appointment, after discussing her deportation order with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) staffer, Paola and Adrian were asked to wait in the lobby, where ICE officers subsequently arrived to detain her. She handed her wedding ring to Adrian before being taken away (Newsweek).

Analysis

The claim that ICE detained a Marine veteran's wife during a green card appointment is substantiated by multiple credible news sources. The Associated Press, CBS News, and Newsweek all reported on the incident, providing consistent details about the circumstances surrounding the detention. The reports highlight the emotional toll on the Clouatre family, particularly on their young children, as Adrian Clouatre struggles to explain his wife's absence (AP News, CBS News, Newsweek).

The reliability of these sources is high, as they are well-established news organizations known for their journalistic integrity. The reports also reflect a broader context of immigration policy changes under the Trump administration, which have impacted the treatment of military families seeking legal status for their spouses (AP News).

Additionally, the emotional and legal ramifications of the detention are underscored by Adrian Clouatre's statements and the involvement of immigration law experts, who criticize the lack of discretion shown by ICE in cases involving military families (CBS News).

Conclusion

The claim that ICE detained a Marine veteran's wife during a green card appointment is True. The evidence from multiple credible sources confirms that Paola Clouatre was detained by ICE while attempting to secure her legal status in the U.S., highlighting significant concerns regarding immigration enforcement practices, especially as they pertain to military families.

Fact Check: ICE detains Marine veteran's wife during green card appointment.