Wife of active-duty Army sergeant deported amid Trump's immigration campaign
An advocacy group says some military families are now "living in the shadows."
The wife of an active-duty Army sergeant, Cristy Maryori Villafranca Trejo, was deported to Honduras on Monday. Army Sgt. Hedar Leonel Turcios Juarez confirmed his wife's deportation amid President Trump's immigration crackdown, which has impacted military spouses. Turcios Juarez previously noted that Villafranca was detained outside a Walmart in July, while his young daughter watched.
Villafranca had entered the United States illegally in 2016 and became a U.S. citizen in 2024 after a nine-month deployment to the Middle East. Her husband joined the military and sought to naturalize his wife, hoping his service would expedite her naturalization process. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Villafranca's removal, stating she was an illegal alien from Honduras.
Turcios emphasized that his wife is not a threat and is a supportive spouse who took care of their family during his deployment. The Trump administration's enforcement of immigration policies has affected over 50 parents and spouses of service members during Trump's second term. Advocacy groups express concern over the impact on military families, who are living in fear of seeking resources and assistance as their service members sacrifice for the nation.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News (US)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
