A U.S. combat veteran and Trump supporter says his wife was detained by federal immigration officers at the Nogales port of entry while she was trying to renew her in-country travel permit.
Eddie J. Rosa, 43, a USPS electronics technician and veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army Reserves, and Ohio National Guard, told Newsweek that his wife, Mireya Alexandra Blancarte Marquez, was taken into custody on August 11.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Blancarte Marquez was detained for overstaying her visa and allegedly providing false information to Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Rosa, who served in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, said his wife was handcuffed and paraded in public “like a common criminal.”
“My wife has absolutely no criminal record of any kind in this country or Mexico. As a fervent believer in our constitutional republic, I felt violated and disrespected,” Rosa said in a statement to Newsweek.
“I’ve answered my country’s call and will not hesitate to do so again. But this is my wife. This was not only disrespectful but also a slap in the face to my family.”
He also criticized the CBP officer involved, saying the agent “behaved less than professionally.”
Despite the ordeal, Rosa said he does not regret supporting President Donald Trump.
Trump has directed his administration to remove millions of migrants living illegally in the U.S. and to impose harsher penalties for visa overstays. His team has described upcoming enforcement plans as “mass deportations,” arguing that anyone without legal status is breaking the law.
The DHS told Newsweek: “Mireya Alexandra Blancarte Marquez was stopped and detained by CBP at the DeConcini Port of Entry after lying to CBP Officers about when she entered the country and where she was staying in the United States. During further questioning it was determined she had also overstayed her visa and I-94 travel permit.”
Blancarte Marquez, 40, is the mother of two U.S. citizen children. Rosa said she had been living in the U.S. legally on a visitor visa since November 2024 and that the family was in the process of adjusting her legal status.
Rosa, who is fully disabled from his military service, said his family is devastated.
“She’s my caretaker. She’s my only support system,” he said.
He added that their 13-year-old son has been unable to attend school. Her sister, Adriana Blancarte, told Newsweek she is seeking therapy for the child.
“It’s been incredibly shocking for the entire family, especially for her son. He has been depressed,” she said.
Rosa said the family has struggled with the immigration system and is now raising money on GoFundMe to cover legal costs.
Rosa also raised concerns about the conditions at the Eloy ICE detention facility where his wife is being held.
“She is distraught and not eating,” he said.
CoreCivic, which operates the Eloy facility, told Newsweek it provides detainees with “three nutritious meals a day” and emphasized that all facilities are closely monitored by ICE.
The DHS said Blancarte Marquez will remain in custody pending removal proceedings.
