Democrats launch probe into efforts to deport US military members and their families
Congressional Democrats said they are investigating the Trump administration’s efforts to deport military service members and their families after The Associated Press found more than 50 active-duty troops’ spouses and parents have been detained by immigration authorities.
In a letter sent on Sunday evening to the department of homeland security, the defence department and department of veterans affairs, the Democrats said they will investigate whether the Pentagon and DHS are co-ordinating to deport military service members and their families.
“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,” according to the letter, which was signed by more than 60 legislators and provided to the AP.
The Pentagon declined to comment, stating it would “reply directly to the authors of the letter”.
DHS said it values service members’ contributions and “US military service alone does not automatically grant lawful immigration status, or exempt aliens from the consequences of violating US immigration laws”.
Donald Trump is breaking our country’s promises to service members by tearing apart dozens of military families who were promised immigration protections
In their letter, the Democrats provided an extensive list of questions to the agencies. They said the apparent collaboration between DHS and the military to deport troops’ families “raises both ethical and legal concerns”.
“Donald Trump is breaking our country’s promises to service members by tearing apart dozens of military families who were promised immigration protections,” Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren said. “That’s just plain cruel, and it’s hurting our military readiness and morale.”
Warren’s office is leading the probe alongside Connecticut senator Richard Blumenthal, Illinois senator Tammy Duckworth and several House Democrats.
The AP investigation found Trump’s administration has rolled back protections for military families and departed from longstanding bipartisan consensus to carry out its mass deportation agenda. Service members have been forced to take leave of their duties, including delaying deployment, to care for their children after their spouses were detained.
The legislators pressed the administration on why military recruiters are still promoting immigration protections.
Legislators urged the Trump administration to restore policies that had previously shielded military service members’ families from immigration enforcement while allowing them to adjust their legal status.
“This report is appalling and shows the unbelievable cruelty at the centre of the Trump immigration agenda,” said Blumenthal, the ranking Democrat on the Senate committee on veterans’ affairs. “We will be demanding answers and accountability.”
They trust our government to take care of their families, and they’re not doing that
The Republican chairs of the armed services and veterans’ affairs committees, Mississippi senator Roger Wicker and Kansas senator Jerry Moran, did not respond to requests for comment.
Last week, Trump established the Military Spouse Commission, chaired by defence secretary Pete Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer Rauchet, to develop policies and recommendations for improving life for troops’ spouses.
“Military spouses are intrinsically linked to the good order, readiness and retention of our military,” Trump stated in a letter published in the Federal Register on August 6. “Their support and contributions to our armed forces are crucial to mission success.”
The defence department said in a December letter to Democratic legislators, obtained by the AP, that it had not implemented any recent policy changes for noncitizen family members in the military and has not conducted analysis on how deportations impact troop readiness and morale.
Danitza James, president of Repatriate Our Patriots, an organisation providing support to military families and veterans facing deportation, said troops are being betrayed.
“Our military service members are the ones that sign on the dotted line to go and defend our country and maybe not come back,” James said. “They trust our government to take care of their families, and they’re not doing that.”