Democrats in Congress have launched a probe into the Trump administration following reports it tried to deport more than 50 military members and members of military families.
The Associated Press reported last week that President Donald Trump’s administration has detained 52 parents and spouses of active-duty service members since he took office in January 2025, with at least six interventions resulting in deportation and at least eight people remaining in immigration custody.
In response to this report, 60 Democrats sent a letter Sunday evening to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs, vowing to investigate whether the DOD and DHS were working together to deport military service members and their families.
The inquiry includes multiple questions directed at various agencies, including how the purported collaboration between DHS and the military to deport troops’ families “raises both ethical and legal concerns.”
“These efforts imperil military readiness, weaken service members’ morale, and betray America’s promises to the people who put their lives on the line for our nation,” according to the letter, viewed by the Associated Press.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office is leading the probe, with direct support from Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).
“Donald Trump is breaking our country’s promises to service members by tearing apart dozens of military families who were promised immigration protections,” Warren told the AP. “That’s just plain cruel, and it’s hurting our military readiness and morale.”
The lawmakers are calling on Trump to shield military service members from immigration enforcement while allowing them to adjust their legal status, as was the case in previous administrations.
The Pentagon reportedly told the AP it would “reply directly to the authors of the letter.” DHS told the AP that it values service members’ contributions, adding that “U.S. military service alone does not automatically grant lawful immigration status, or exempt aliens from the consequences of violating U.S. immigration laws.”
The VA did not respond to AP’s request for comment.
“This report is appalling and shows the unbelievable cruelty at the center of the Trump immigration agenda,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “We will be demanding answers and accountability.”
Military Spouse Commission
The report is in stark contrast to recent moves made by the Trump administration to support the military community.
Last week, Trump created the Military Spouse Commission to support the lives and experiences of spouses of those enlisted in service. The commission, helmed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer Rauchet, will provide recommendations to address themes including housing, employment, health care and childcare.
Other commission members include the spouses of service secretaries, the joint chief of staff, and the spouse of the Department of Homeland Security secretary.
Desiree Thompson Sayle, one of Trump’s deputy assistants, will serve as the commission’s executive director.
The commission will meet monthly at the White House. DOD will fund it using the $9 billion allocated for military family quality-of-life initiatives and programs in the One Big Beautiful Bill, which Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025.
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