Duckworth Slams Trump for Targeting Military Families for Deportation

September 24, 2026 Duckworth Slams Trump for Targeting Military Families for Deportation [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) slammed Donald Trump and his Administration for targeting military families in their extreme immigration enforcement campaign, arguing that their efforts are hurting military readiness, morale and national security. Appearing at a press conference beside other Veterans, military family members and advocates, Duckworth stressed how the Administration’s tactics are not only inhumane, but also send an unacceptable message to the brave servicemembers currently fighting in Trump’s war of choice and to future recruits. Key quotes from Duckworth’s remarks can be found below and the full livestream can be found on the Senator’s YouTube . Key Quotes: “It’s a betrayal to our heroes to have a family member detained or deported by the same nation they sacrificed to defend. No servicemember should be forced to choose between fulfilling their military obligations and protecting their families. And with fewer and fewer people enlisting as the years go on, we should be celebrating every person who serves, including their families who sacrifice so much to support them…I’m here today to call out that five-time draft-dodging coward for dodging his most sacred responsibility: honoring those who were actually brave enough to serve.” “The Trump Administration’s actions are inhumane, and they’re disastrous from a national security perspective. We don’t need our troops who are heading into a firefight to be worried about whether their husband or wife is going to get picked up on the streets, leaving their toddler in foster care…What does any of that do to our military’s morale? To our national strength? To our reenlistment numbers? What message does any of that send to our troops—or to our enemies?” “I’m grateful that last spring I was able to help secure the release of military spouse Deisy Rivera Ortega from ICE detention after she was arrested with no warrant and no explanation. But she should never have been in that situation in the first place…There are countless other ‘Deisys’ out there, and just as they and their loved ones fought for this country, we now need to fight for them. So going forward, I will keep doing just that, including by working to codify Military Parole in Place—because these families deserve protections that don’t disappear with a change in Administration.” Duckworth has been leading the charge advocating against the Trump Administration’s cruel efforts to target military families and Veterans in its extreme deportation campaign. In May, the Senator successfully secured the release of military spouse Deisy Rivera Ortega from ICE detention after the Senator personally called DHS Director Markwayne Mullin advocating on Ms. Rivera Ortega’s behalf. Last month, Duckworth and her colleagues pressed the Administration for answers on its efforts to coordinate to arrest, detain and deport hundreds of Veterans and military families. In June, Duckworth lambasted the Administration for gutting the Immigrant Military Members and Veteran Initiative (IMMVI), a collaboration between the DHS and VA created in 2021 to help streamline immigration processes for Veterans and their families. Earlier this year, the Senator introduced bicameral legislation that aims to protect military families from deportation and forced separation detrimental to military morale and mission readiness. Duckworth has also long fought to protect pathways to citizenship for noncitizen servicemembers and Veterans, as well as the benefits they earned through their service. Last November, Duckworth reintroduced her sweeping package of legislation that would prohibit the deportation of immigrant Veterans who are not violent offenders, provide these Veterans with a pathway to citizenship through their military service and help ensure those who have already been deported can access the VA healthcare services they are entitled to. -30- Print Tweet Previous Article