For Immediate Release: April 6, 2026
Contact: Michael Earls at [email protected]
For media inquiries, please email [email protected] and avoid directly reaching out to family.
Washington, DC – As first reported in the New York Times article,“ ICE Agents Detain Newlywed Spouse of Soldier Training to Deploy,” Annie Ramos, a 22-year old college student married to a U.S. Army staff sergeant, was detained last week in Louisiana.
The below are statements from Matthew Blank, the husband of Annie Ramos and a U.S. Army staff sergeant, and Jen Rickling, Matthew’s mother and the mother-in-law of Annie Ramos.
Statement from Matthew Blank, the husband of Annie Ramos and a U.S. Army staff sergeant:
“I am a man of faith. I love my country, and I love my wife.
My wife has lived in the United States since she was a baby. When she had the opportunity to apply for legal status, she did everything right. In 2020, she applied for DACA, paid the fees, completed her fingerprints, and like so many others, her application has been left in limbo.
What was supposed to be the happiest week of our lives has turned into one of the hardest.
I never imagined that trying to do the right thing—registering my wife so she could receive her military ID, access the benefits she is entitled to as my spouse, and begin the process toward her green card—would lead to her being taken away from me.
Instead of preparing for our future together, I am now fighting for her freedom.
I want my wife home. I want to build our life together. I want to start our family. And I will not stop fighting until she is back where she belongs, by my side.
I am proud to serve this country. I am proud to be her husband. And I will stand by her, no matter what it takes.”
Statement from Jen Rickling, the mother-in-law of Annie Ramos and Matthew’s mother:
“I still can’t believe what happened. We accompanied Matthew and Annie to his base, to help them start their life together and to help her get her settled as a military spouse. Instead, we watched her be taken away in handcuffs – it was and is heartbreaking.
Annie is everything you would hope for in a daughter-in-law. She is kind, smart, and dedicated: she teaches Sunday school, she’s finishing her degree, and she loves my son with her whole heart. We absolutely adore her. When Matthew found Annie, I saw something so special, something that every mother hopes for their child. Their wedding was beautiful, it was filled with faith, family, and so much hope for the future.
I believe in this country. And I believe we can do better than this – for Annie, for other military families, and for the values we hold dear.
My son and my daughter-in-law should be able to build their lives together here, in a nation that my son is so committed to serving.”
I am so incredibly proud of my son. From a young age, he has had a heart to serve: his family, his community, and this country. Watching him grow into a man who wears the uniform with honor and integrity has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.”
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