{"id":67419,"date":"2018-04-30T21:20:20","date_gmt":"2018-04-30T21:20:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/04\/30\/mattis-services-looking-into-military-spouse-deportations\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:12:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:12:50","slug":"mattis-services-looking-into-military-spouse-deportations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2018\/04\/30\/mattis-services-looking-into-military-spouse-deportations\/","title":{"rendered":"Mattis: Services looking into military spouse deportations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has asked the services to report to him on whether their forces are facing immigration challenges, and said Monday that he has already received an initial briefing on the issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mattis\u2019 query to the services came after a series of stories by Military Times <\/a>on the deportation fears of active duty and veteran service members. Those families fear that under the stricter enforcement of immigration laws under President Donald Trump\u2019s administration, spouses who are residing in the U.S. illegally will be deported \u2013 even possibly as their military family member is deployed<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In March, Mattis told reporters he would check on whether deportation protections for service members or veterans <\/a>that he highlighted in February would apply to their spouses. On Monday, Mattis said \u201cwe are looking at it. We have not yet found a policy that aligns with that. But we are continuing to work it,\u201d he said referring to the protections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the interim, Mattis said, \u201cwhat it\u2019s required us to do, is go out to our forces and check\u201d on the issue, he said. While some information has come in, and he has received an initial briefing on the issue, other units have not known how to respond, Mattis said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause there\u2019s not been a problem in those units, so there\u2019s a little bit of \u2018What are they talking about?\u2019\u201d Mattis said. \u201cSo we\u2019re not taking that as a good answer. We\u2019ll make certain we\u2019ve got a real answer. That\u2019s still ongoing. I\u2019ve been briefed but it\u2019s still ongoing. So we\u2019ll keep searching.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\t