Army sergeant's wife detained at USCIS appointment despite legal protections, released after senator's intervention
May 16, 2026·Location: El Paso, TX
Country of origin: El Salvador

Deisy Fidelina Rivera Ortega, wife of active-duty U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Jose Serrano stationed at Fort Bliss, was detained by ICE agents on April 14, 2026, while attending a USCIS appointment in El Paso, Texas to apply for Parole in Place. A native of El Salvador who had lived in the U.S. for approximately a decade, Rivera Ortega held valid work authorization and a 2019 court order granting her withholding of removal under the Convention Against Torture. Despite these legal protections, ICE arrested her based on a December 2019 removal order for illegal entry and indicated plans to deport her to Mexico under third-country removal procedures. After approximately one month in custody at the El Paso Service Processing Center, Rivera Ortega was released on May 15, 2026, following media reporting and personal intervention by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat and combat veteran who contacted the Department of Homeland Security on her behalf. She remains subject to GPS monitoring, mandatory ICE check-ins, home visits, and travel restrictions while facing potential deportation.
Timeline
Sources
- ICE detains the wife of an Army sergeant in Texas as military family leniency wanes
Associated Press·Apr 22, 2026·archived copy
independent.co.uk·Apr 22, 2026·archived copy
Orange County Register·Apr 22, 2026·archived copy
sentinelandenterprise.com·Apr 22, 2026·archived copy
- Wife of active-duty U.S. Army soldier detained by ICE in Texas at immigration appointment
- Army soldier speaks out after wife is detained by ICE in Texas
CNN·Apr 22, 2026·archived copy
- ICE releases wife of U.S. Army soldier and Afghanistan veteran, after a monthlong detention
- ICE releases wife of US soldier and Afghanistan veteran from detention
BBC·May 15, 2026·archived copy
- U.S. Army soldier worries wife
- Wife of active US Army sergeant at risk of deportation to 3rd country
goodmorningamerica.com·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
- أمريكا.. اعتقال سعودي "مهاجر غير شرعي" وICE تكشف سجله الجنائي
arabic.cnn.com·Apr 22, 2026·archived copy
- Federal agents detain wife of another US army member: ‘ICE is out of control’ | US immigration | The Guardian
nedhamsonsecondlineviewofthenews.com·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
- Attorney: U.S. Army sergeant’s wife to be deported to Mexico
Yahoo News·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
- ICE Arrests Wife Of US Army Sergeant During Immigration Appointment – What Changed?
ibtimes.co.uk·Apr 23, 2026·archived copy
- U.S. soldier's wife detained by ICE in Texas after immigration appointment
Yahoo News·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
- newsnationnow.com
- ICE Goons Arrest Wife of U.S. Army Sergeant at Immigration Appointment
The Daily Beast·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
- ICE releases newlywed wife of Army soldier, arrested at military base
- 'Out of control': Army soldier says wife detained by ICE faces deportation
WGME·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
thenationaldesk.com·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
- No Longer Available
- US soldier says wife detained by ICE: ‘She followed the rules’
Yahoo News·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
- meyka.com
- Deisy Rivera Ortega Detained: Army Veteran Fears for Wife Held by 'Out of Control' ICE
ibtimes.co.uk·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
- elpasoinc.com
- KTEN
- El Paso Times
- Attorney: U.S. Army sergeant’s wife to be deported to Mexico
Border Report·Apr 21, 2026·archived copy
- El ICE detiene a la esposa de un sargento del Ej�rcito de EEUU en Texas
elmundo.es·Apr 22, 2026·archived copy
- mynorthwest.com
- ICE detains the wife of an Army sergeant in Texas as military family leniency wanes - Peru News
news.net·Apr 22, 2026·archived copy
- Soldier's Wife Is Arrested at Immigration Appointment. He Says They’ve Done ‘Everything by the Book,’ but ICE Disagrees
ca.news.yahoo.com·Apr 22, 2026·archived copy
- Wife of US Army sergeant released after month in ICE custody
- Wife of US Army sergeant released from federal immigration custody
Yahoo News·May 15, 2026·archived copy
stamfordadvocate.com·May 16, 2026·archived copy
- Wife of US Army sergeant released from federal immigration custody – VernonReporter
- C8r460gj7eko - Latest News & Updates | BBC Mirror
- harianbasis.co
- Wife of U.S. soldier removed from deportation flight, released from immigration custody
nbcboston.com·Aug 14, 2026·archived copy
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