Adrian Clouatre, a Marine Corps veteran from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is grappling with the emotional strain of his wife Paola's detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). After being apprehended last month, Paola, who entered the United States illegally over a decade ago, is now among the thousands facing deportation under the current administration's stringent immigration policies. Clouatre, who is also worried about how the lack of skin-to-skin contact will affect their 3-month-old daughter, Lyn, attempts to reassure their nearly 2-year-old son, Noah, saying, "Mama will be back soon."
Paola Clouatre, a 25-year-old Mexican national, became entangled in a legal battle for a green card shortly after their marriage in 2024. During this process, she learned that a deportation order had been issued against her in 2018 due to her mother's failure to attend an immigration hearing. The couple had been unaware of this prior order, stemming from Paola's estrangement from her mother, who herself faced difficulties in the immigration system. Clouatre described how, during a routine appointment with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to facilitate Paola’s green card application, a staff member questioned her about the deportation order. This interaction ended with ICE officers arriving to detain Paola, who handed her wedding ring to Adrian, highlighting the emotionally charged nature of their separation.
Despite efforts to follow immigration procedures correctly, Adrian Clouatre expressed his dismay over the treatment of military families like his own. Former immigration judge Carey Holliday, now representing the couple, criticized the actions of ICE, commenting on the injustice of separating a veteran from his spouse. The couple has filed a motion for the California-based immigration judge to reopen Paola's deportation case, adding to their uncertainty. Adrian Clouatre, who considers himself "not a very political person," believes that individuals like his wife, who contribute positively to society, should be given a chance for legal status rather than facing deportation.
Under the Trump administration, policies have shifted markedly, with directives prioritizing deportation and limiting discretion previously granted to military families seeking legal status for their loved ones. As of June 2023, USCIS had referred over 26,000 cases for deportation, which has raised alarms among immigration law experts. They argue that tighter enforcement, particularly affecting military families, contradicts the previously more lenient approach that allowed for greater consideration of unique circumstances, such as the deportation status of a service member's spouse.
In sharp contrast, Marine Corps recruiters continue to promote enlistment as a means to secure immigration benefits for family members, despite the tightening of such policies. This approach has sparked criticism from experts like Margaret Stock, who question the integrity of the messaging being disseminated to potential recruits. Marine Corps spokesperson Master Sgt. Tyler Hlavac acknowledged that recruiters have been instructed not to imply that joining the military can guarantee immigration relief for applicants or their families.
The situation remains tense for Adrian Clouatre as he navigates parental responsibilities without Paola's presence. He is left to comfort their children while advocating for his wife's rights within a system that increasingly appears to show a lack of compassion for families like theirs. With the motion for reopening Paola’s deportation case pending, the couple holds onto hope for a more favorable outcome amid a landscape that has become markedly less forgiving for immigrants linked to military service.
