Trump immigration crackdown detains spouses and parents of active-duty US troops, AP finds
An Associated Press investigation has found that more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty U.S.
An Associated Press investigation found that more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty U.S. military members have been detained during the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, as the administration rolled back protections that had shielded military families. At least six relatives have reportedly been deported.
More than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty U.S. military members have been detained in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, according to an Associated Press investigation published on August 5, 2026. The detentions came as the administration rolled back immigration protections that had previously applied to military families. The arrests form part of a broader deportation campaign pursued during Donald Trump's second term, which has involved the detention and expulsion of large numbers of immigrants and their family members. The administration has claimed that around 140,000 people have been deported under the policy. According to the AP review, at least six relatives of active-duty service members have been deported. The findings raise questions about the impact of immigration enforcement on the armed forces themselves. Military families say some troops have had to take leave, or been left to manage childcare alone, after relatives were detained or deported. Experts have warned that targeting service members' families undermines military preparedness.
More than 50 military family members detained, AP finds
An Associated Press investigation has found that more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty U.S. military members have been detained since Donald Trump began his second term in office. The findings, published on August 5, 2026, point to a crackdown that has reached directly into military households.
According to the AP review, at least six relatives of active-duty service members have been deported. The detentions and removals came as the administration rolled back immigration protections that had previously applied to military families, exposing spouses and parents of serving troops to enforcement action, the AP reported.
The figures place military families within a far broader deportation campaign. The Trump administration has claimed that around 140,000 people have been deported under the policy, which has involved the detention and expulsion of large numbers of immigrants and their family members.
The AP's accounting covers parents and spouses of personnel currently on active duty — men and women whose close relatives faced detention or removal while they served. The rollback of the earlier protections, according to the AP, was the shift that made those cases possible.
A deportation campaign that reached military households
The detentions unfolded as part of a broad deportation campaign pursued by Donald Trump's administration during his second term, which has involved the detention and expulsion of large numbers of immigrants and their family members. The administration has claimed that around 140,000 people had been deported under the policy.
Military households were not exempt. According to the Associated Press review, the detentions of troops' relatives occurred as the administration rolled back immigration protections that had previously applied to military families. Those protections had shielded spouses and parents of service members from enforcement action; their removal left military families exposed to the same measures applied across the wider crackdown.
The campaign has reportedly resulted in both detention and deportation of family members of active-duty personnel, with reports suggesting at least six relatives of service members have been deported. Experts have warned that detaining military family members undermines military preparedness, according to reports.
Troops take leave and juggle childcare as families are split
The detentions have rippled through the lives of service members themselves. Military families told the Associated Press that some troops have had to take leave from their duties because a relative was detained or deported. Others, the families said, have been left to manage childcare on their own after a spouse or parent was taken into custody or removed from the country.
Experts have warned that the detention of military family members undermines military preparedness, according to reports. The concern is that service members distracted by immigration proceedings at home, or forced to choose between their duties and their families, cannot focus fully on their missions. For troops deployed or training far from home, the loss of a partner who cared for children can pose an immediate and practical crisis.
Marines drop enlistment pitch to immigrant families
The Marine Corps stopped promoting enlistment as a way to shield immigrant family members in June 2025, according to the Associated Press review. The change came as the administration rolled back protections that had previously applied to military families.
For years, recruiters had pointed to protections for relatives as one reason immigrants with family in the country illegally might see military service as a path to security. That pitch ended as the deportation campaign expanded.
It remains unclear what, if any, protections now apply to the relatives of those who enlist, or whether the Marines intend to restore the earlier recruiting message. The AP findings leave open how the shift has affected enlistment among immigrant families.
January 2025 (start of second term)
The Marine Corps stopped promoting enlistment as a way to shield immigrant family members.
The Associated Press published its findings that more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty service members had been detained amid the rollback of protections for military families.
Frequently asked questions
How many military spouses and parents have been detained by ICE?
According to an Associated Press investigation published on August 5, 2026, more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty U.S. military members have been detained since Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025. The detentions occurred as the administration rolled back immigration protections that had previously applied to military families, the AP review found.
Have family members of active-duty U.S. troops been deported?
Yes, according to the Associated Press. Its investigation found that at least six relatives of active-duty service members have been deported, alongside the detention of more than 50 parents and spouses. The crackdown is part of a broader deportation campaign during Trump's second term, under which the administration claims around 140,000 people have been deported.
Why are military family members being detained under the Trump administration?
The detentions occurred as the Trump administration rolled back immigration protections that had applied to military families, according to the Associated Press review. The exact timing of that rollback is not known. Separately, reports indicate that in June 2025 the Marine Corps stopped promoting enlistment as a means of protecting immigrant family members.
How do these detentions affect service members and military readiness?
Military families say some troops have had to take leave because of the detention or deportation of relatives, and some service members have been left to handle childcare responsibilities on their own. Experts have also warned that the detention of military family members undermines military preparedness, according to reports.
When did the Associated Press report on detentions of military spouses?
The Associated Press published its investigation on August 5, 2026. It found that more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty service members had been detained amid the rollback of protections for military families, and that at least six relatives of service members had been deported. The findings were carried by outlets including PBS and The Guardian.
Compiled from reporting by 9 independent outlets. How we source our reporting.
