The wife of a member of the Florida Coast Guard was detained this Thursday by federal immigration authorities for allegedly having an expired visa. The woman may face deportation.
The spouse of an active duty Coast Guard member was arrested within the family residential section of the U.S. Naval Air Station in Key West, Florida, after being flagged during a routine security check, according to confirmation from news agencies on Saturday.
"The spouse is not a member of the Coast Guard and was detained by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) under a legal removal order, said Coast Guard spokesperson Steve Roth in a statement confirming the detention."
In its statement, it emphasized that the Coast Guard is working closely with HSI and other agencies to enforce federal laws, including immigration laws.
An official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The New York Post that the woman's work visa expired around 2017, and she was flagged for deportation from the United States a few years later.
The woman, whose identity has not been revealed, and the coast guard officer got married in early 2025. This Wednesday, as they were getting ready to move into a government housing, they went to the visitor control center at the military base to obtain a pass for her to enter the Key West facility.
During the routine security check required to access the base, the woman's name was flagged as "problematic".
Subsequently, the base personnel contacted the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and after obtaining permission from the base commander to enter the facility, they went to the Coast Guard's house alongside officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest the woman.
More than 800 migrants have been detained in Florida during the first days of Operation Tidal Wave, a wide-ranging immigration control operation initiated by federal and state authorities.
According to information provided by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through its official account on X, in an unprecedented operation, ICE agents in Miami, in coordination with state law enforcement agencies in Florida, made the arrests during the first four days of the operation.
Operation Black Tide represents an unprecedented collaboration between federal and state agencies to enhance the enforcement of immigration laws.
In its message, ICE highlighted the extraordinary support provided by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and thanked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for its commitment to public safety.
The operation, described as a "significant multi-agency effort," aims to strengthen immigration control mechanisms and promote new partnerships between police forces and federal authorities, within the framework of the 287(g) program agreements.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Detention and Risk of Deportation of the Wife of a Coast Guard Member in Florida
Why was the wife of the Florida Coast Guard member arrested?
The wife was detained for having her visa expired since 2017. During a routine security check to access the Key West base, her name was flagged as "problematic," leading to her arrest by immigration authorities.
What consequences does the wife of the coast guard face after his arrest?
The woman could face deportation from the United States due to the legal expulsion order issued for having her visa expired. Cases like this often result in the individual's repatriation to their country of origin if their immigration status is not regularized.
How is this case related to Operation Marea Negra?
The Operation Black Tide is a migration control operation driven by federal and state authorities in Florida, which has resulted in the detention of more than 800 migrants. While the detainment of the Coast Guard officer's wife is not directly linked to this operation, it reflects the context of tightening immigration policies in the region.
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