Congress Launches Investigation into Trump Administration's Detention and Deportation of Non-Citizen Service Members and Veterans

Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in opening an investigation into the Trump administration's policies on detaining and deporting non-citizen service members, veterans, and their families. The investigation seeks to understand the impact of these policies on recruitment, readiness, and morale in the military. The lawmakers argue that these practices go against decades of precedent and long-standing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policy that affords military service members, veterans, and their families protection from immigration enforcement.

Key Takeaways:

• 55 members of Congress signed a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD) demanding an explanation for the detention and deportation of non-citizen service members, veterans, and their families.
• The lawmakers argue that detaining and deporting military service members and their families contradicts decades of precedent and long-standing DHS policy that protects military service members and their families from immigration enforcement.
• Over the past century, hundreds of thousands of immigrant service members have fought for the nation and contributed to military victories, filling recruitment gaps, providing foreign language skills, and medical expertise.
• In April, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rescinded its former policy of considering military service a "significant mitigating factor" when deciding whether to pursue immigration enforcement, and issued a new policy less protective of service members and their families.
• The coalition asked the two agencies to provide information about the number of non-citizens serving in the military, the number of service members, veterans, and family members arrested, detained, or deported since January 2025, and the impact of these new policies on recruitment, readiness, and morale.
• The lawmakers included a list of signatories from both the Senate and the House of Representatives, highlighting the bipartisan support for the inquiry.

Statistics:

• Over the past century, hundreds of thousands of immigrant service members have fought for the nation and contributed to military victories.
• 55 members of Congress signed the letter to DHS and DOD demanding an explanation for the detention and deportation of non-citizen service members, veterans, and their families.

Sources:

• "Congress Launches Investigation into Trump Administration's Detention and Deportation of Non-Citizen Service Members and Veterans." Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander's office, [citation no date provided]