Coast Guard Member’s Wife Arrested By Immigration Authorities At Naval Base

 

The wife of an active-duty Coast Guardsman was arrested earlier this week by federal immigration authorities inside the residential area of the U.S. Naval Air Station in Key West, Florida. Officials say the arrest occurred after she was flagged during a routine security screening.

“The spouse is not a member of the Coast Guard and was detained by Homeland Security Investigations pursuant to a lawful removal order,” confirmed Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Steve Roth. “The Coast Guard works closely with HSI and other agencies to enforce federal laws, including immigration laws.”

A U.S. official familiar with the case revealed that the woman’s work visa expired around 2017, and she was ordered removed from the United States several years later. She married the Coast Guardsman earlier this year, the official added, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the enforcement action.

While immigration enforcement has been a significant focus in recent years, officials clarified that this incident did not appear to be part of any broader enforcement sweep.

The arrest stemmed from a routine security process. When the woman and her husband went to the visitor control center to obtain a pass for on-base housing access, her name was flagged during the background check. Base personnel then contacted the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) for further investigation.

After reviewing the situation, NCIS and Coast Guard security personnel obtained permission from the base commander to proceed. On Thursday, accompanied by agents from Homeland Security Investigations, they went to the Coast Guardsman's residence, where the woman was taken into custody. Officials believe she remains detained. No details about her country of origin were released.

Questions regarding the woman’s identity, immigration status, and legal proceedings were directed to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has not yet commented on the case. The Department of Homeland Security also did not respond to inquiries.

The Coast Guardsman, stationed on the USCGC Mohawk, a 270-foot cutter based in Key West, had recently returned from a 70-day deployment in the Eastern Pacific focused on drug interdiction missions. According to ship tracking data, the Mohawk has been docked at its home port since mid-March.

In a statement, the U.S. Navy emphasized its commitment to security protocols: “We fully cooperated with federal law enforcement authorities on this matter. We take security and access at naval installations seriously.”