US Veteran Faces Heartbreak as Wife Is Detained During Immigration Process
Adrian Clouatre, a US Marine Corps veteran residing in Louisiana, is grappling with the sudden detention of his wife by immigration officials as she pursued her green card application. The ordeal has left their young family in distress, especially their children who deeply miss their mother.
A Family Torn Apart
Clouatre's nearly two-year-old son repeatedly asks where his mother is at bedtime, while their three-month-old daughter, who was formerly breastfeeding, now relies on bottle feeding. “Mama will be back soon,” he reassures his son, though he harbors concerns about how separation might affect his youngest daughter's bond with her mother.
Background on the Detention
Paola Clouatre, aged 25, originally from Mexico, arrived in the US over a decade ago seeking asylum alongside her mother. She met Adrian in California in 2022, during the close of his military service, and they married in 2024. Shortly after, they applied for a green card so that Paola could lawfully live and work in the US.
The green card application process took a turn when immigration officials unearthed a deportation order issued in 2018 related to Paola’s mother missing a hearing, a fact Paola was unaware of due to long-term estrangement. During a routine appointment on May 27, instead of progressing with their paperwork, officials detained Paola, prompting her to hand her wedding ring to Adrian as she was taken away. Subsequently, Adrian has had to make an arduous eight-hour round trip to visit her at a detention center in Monroe.
The Broader Immigration Context
Paola’s detention occurs amid an environment where immigration enforcement officials aim for a high rate of arrests daily, intensifying tensions for many families. While Clouatre affirms his support for deporting criminals, he emphasizes that hardworking families married to American citizens have traditionally been afforded legal pathways — a protection he feels is slipping away.
Legal Battle and Official Responses
The Clouatre family’s legal team has petitioned to reopen Paola’s case, hoping to reverse the detention decision. However, government representatives maintain a strict stance: Paola's presence is deemed illegal based on the existing deportation order, which they insist must be honored. One immigration official stressed that disregarding such orders is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Experts note that while military families previously enjoyed more safeguards against deportation, recent policy shifts have changed this dynamic, leaving veterans like Adrian feeling vulnerable and unsupported.
Moving Forward
- Paola awaits a judicial decision on her case reopening.
- Adrian continues to visit her despite the logistical and emotional challenges.
- The family hopes for compassion in an immigration system often criticized for its rigidity.
This case highlights the emotional toll immigration policies can exact on military families and raises important questions about balancing law enforcement with humanitarian considerations.
