ICE arrests military spouses during San Diego interviews

ICE arrests of military spouses occurring during routine green card interviews have left the San Diego veteran community reeling and seeking answers from federal authorities. The detention of foreign nationals married to United States service members, specifically during their final scheduled appointments to legalize their residency status, marks a significant shift in enforcement operations.

Immigration attorneys and local veterans report that federal agents are detaining individuals with no criminal history inside U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices. While ICE arrests of military spouses were previously rare during these administrative procedures, the tactic has intensified since mid-November.

Samuel Shasteen, a retired U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant, expressed deep disillusionment after agents detained his wife, Chanidaphon Sopimpa. Shasteen served the country for two decades, including two deployments to Afghanistan. He believed his service would garner respect for his family. Instead, the events at the federal building left him questioning the loyalty of the government he served.

“I kind of feel betrayed, to be honest,” Shasteen stated regarding the incident. “We do everything that we can to protect and serve our country. And then they betray us by treating us like we’ve never done anything.”

Veterans feel betrayed by the system

The arrest took place on November 18. Shasteen and Sopimpa arrived for what they expected to be the final step in securing her green card. Sopimpa, originally from Thailand, had overstayed her visa. Under federal immigration law, spouses of U.S. citizens are typically classified as “immediate relatives,” allowing them to adjust their status and obtain residency despite previous visa overstays, provided they entered the country legally.

Shasteen noted that the interview appeared to go smoothly. However, at the conclusion of the appointment, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents entered the room. They handcuffed Sopimpa and removed her from the premises while she wept.

The couple married two years after Shasteen lost his first wife to cancer in 2022. He credits Sopimpa with helping him and his children heal from that loss. Her sudden detention has reopened emotional wounds for the family, particularly for Shasteen’s son.

“It kind of felt like there wasn’t a hole there no more. She just filled a spot, the void that was there,” Shasteen said of his wife’s role in their lives.

Following the arrest, an immigration officer provided Shasteen with a business card containing a QR code. The officer instructed him to scan the code for answers regarding the next steps. Shasteen described the content linked to the code as frustration-inducing “propaganda” rather than helpful procedural information.

He emphasized that the government already possesses ample proof of his military background. The paperwork submitted for his wife’s application clearly documents his service record. The decision to proceed with the arrest despite this information remains a source of confusion and anger for the retired Marine.

Legal experts question tactics

Immigration lawyers in the San Diego area contend that detaining applicants during marriage interviews is highly irregular. Derek Poulsen, the attorney representing Shasteen, described the case as straightforward. He asserted that in any other period of recent history, officials would have approved the application without incident.

“It really is just a straightforward case,” Poulsen noted.

William Menard, another immigration attorney, reported a nearly identical case occurring on the same day. His client, an Australian national married to a Navy veteran, was also taken into custody during her interview. Menard indicated that the veteran was visibly distraught, muttering about his service to the country and the harsh treatment his family received in return.

“He put a lot of work into representing this country, and we did everything the right way,” Menard stated.

Menard, who has attended such interviews for over 12 years, said he had never witnessed an arrest of this nature before. He questioned the utility of detaining a woman with no criminal record for eight days, only to have a judge later grant a bond.

“You’ve got to wonder what eight days of detention, what purpose that served,” Menard said.

ICE maintains that the operations align with federal law. In a statement regarding the enforcement actions, the agency clarified that all foreign nationals violating immigration laws may be subject to arrest and removal. The agency stated that criminal history is not a prerequisite for enforcement action and that unlawful presence in the U.S. constitutes a violation of federal law.

The agency described the activity as part of a renewed focus on executing final orders and addressing public safety threats. However, attorneys argue that spouses of citizens typically receive protection from such actions while their adjustment of status applications are pending.

Families face separation anxiety

The emotional toll on the families involved extends past the legal uncertainty. Shasteen’s wife remains in custody at the Otay Mesa Detention Center. Shasteen visits her wearing a shirt that displays his military service. This visible sign of his background has prompted other visitors to approach him, revealing they are also military members facing similar circumstances.

Shasteen has since organized a support group for these families. He compares the bond he feels with these strangers to the camaraderie he experienced with fellow Marines in Afghanistan.

“We’re out there to fight the enemy, and we come together no matter where we’re from and fight,” he said.

For the family of the Navy veteran represented by Menard, there was a positive development. An immigration judge ordered the release of the Australian spouse on bond. Support letters submitted to the judge highlighted her admiration for American values and her pride in being married to a U.S. veteran. Menard confirmed that she remains eligible for a green card and that they intend to pursue it.

Meanwhile, Shasteen awaits a bond hearing for Sopimpa scheduled for next month. The separation has severely impacted his son, who has avoided being at home since the arrest. The empty house reminds the boy of the time following his mother’s death.

In a letter supporting his stepmother’s release, Shasteen’s son wrote about the parallels between the two traumas.

“One of the hardest parts of this current situation is the parallels I see every time I lay my head down to sleep at night,” the letter read. “I lay staring at the ceiling, feeling hopeless and praying that she is okay, the same way I did when my mother was in the ICU fighting for her life.”

The incident regarding ICE arrests of military spouses remains a developing situation as legal challenges proceed.