Army wife avoids deportation during Norcross ICE check-in
Supporters and legal representatives embrace the wife of an active-duty U.S. Army soldier outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility after federal officials allowed her to avoid immediate deportation following an asylum denial in Norcros
NORCROSS, Ga. - An active-duty U.S. Army soldier's wife avoided immediate deportation Wednesday after reporting to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Norcross.
Norcross ICE facility check-in
What we know:
The Colombian-born woman reported to the ICE facility at 8 a.m. Wednesday after an immigration judge denied her asylum application and ordered her removed on August 14.
Her attorneys expected the appointment to end in her arrest, but federal officials allowed her to walk out after reviewing the circumstances.
She will remain free for now and is required to complete regular monthly check-ins while her legal team files an appeal and a stay of removal.
Military spouse deportation concerns
What we don't know:
It is not known whether federal officials will officially grant a stay of removal or approve her military parole in place application to grant long-term relief.
Her husband, who is currently undergoing frontline military training away from home, was not aware of her specific check-in time because he lacked phone access during training.
Federal military family protection efforts
The backstory:
Attorneys and advocates with Common Defense Georgia, Repatriate Our Patriots and American Families United assembled a rally in about 12 hours after learning of the case.
According to an Associated Press investigation, more than 50 spouses and parents of active-duty service members and veterans have been detained since January 2025.
Department of Homeland Security reports indicate more than 150 immediate family members of veterans and service members have been arrested during a similar timeframe.
Community support outside Norcross ICE
What they're saying:
"Today, one soldier did not have to get a phone call telling him that while he was away serving his country, his wife had been taken into custody by his own government," attorney Tony Kozycki said. "I am incredibly grateful for that. But no service member should ever have to wonder whether their family will still be there when they come home."
"This is happening to military families across the country," Mark Peterson of Common Defense Georgia said. "This is a grave injustice and a breaking of the sacred duty to the service members affected."
Army training and military readiness
What's next:
The legal team at Kozycki Law LLC plans to coordinate directly with ICE supervisors, appeal the asylum denial, and pursue military parole in place options.
The soldier will continue his frontline military training ahead of a potential deployment while his wife attends her required monthly ICE check-ins.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a press conference outside the Norcross ICE facility featuring attorney Tony Kozycki, Common Defense Georgia representative Mark Peterson, and April Watkins, as well as official press releases issued by Kozycki Law LLC.