Military Spouse Arrested at Key West Base Over Expired Visa
A woman married to a serving US Coast Guardsman was arrested earlier this week by federal immigration authorities during a routine security check at the US Naval Air Station in Key West, Florida, officials confirmed on Saturday.
The woman, who is not a member of the Coast Guard herself, was detained by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) after her immigration status flagged during a standard screening. Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Steve Roth stated, “The Coast Guard works alongside HSI and other agencies to enforce federal laws, including those related to immigration.”
According to a US official familiar with the case, the woman’s work visa expired in 2017, and she was placed under a lawful removal order a few years later. She and her Coast Guardsman husband married earlier this year. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, emphasized that the arrest appears to be an isolated enforcement action and not part of a broader immigration crackdown.
The incident unfolded as the couple was preparing to move into military housing. During a visit to the base’s visitor control center to obtain an access pass, a background check revealed her outstanding removal order. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) was notified and, in coordination with Coast Guard security teams, sought approval from the base commander to proceed.
The following day, security personnel, accompanied by HSI officers, went to the couple’s residence on the base and arrested the woman. It is believed she remains in federal custody. Officials did not disclose her nationality or further personal details.
Questions regarding her legal status and pending charges were directed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has yet to release a statement. The Department of Homeland Security also has not commented publicly on the case.
The woman’s husband is stationed aboard the USCGC Mohawk, a 270-foot-long Coast Guard cutter based in Key West. The vessel recently returned from a 70-day deployment in the Eastern Pacific focused on counter-drug operations, according to an official Coast Guard release.
Online tracking data shows that the Mohawk has remained docked at its home port since mid-March. The arrest occurred while the couple was finalizing their move into government-provided housing at the nearby Naval base.
In a statement following the arrest, the Navy said, “We fully cooperated with federal law enforcement authorities on this matter. We take security and access control at our installations very seriously.”
Although the Trump administration has prioritized strict immigration enforcement, sources indicated that the woman’s detention was not part of a coordinated sweep targeting military bases or service member families.
The incident raises questions about immigration enforcement protocols on military installations and highlights the complex intersection between national security measures and individual immigration cases. While spouses of service members often receive expedited pathways to legal status, unresolved immigration violations can still lead to detention and removal proceedings if not properly addressed.
The Coast Guard emphasized that it would continue collaborating with relevant agencies to uphold federal law while safeguarding the integrity of its operations and the security of its installations.
