A routine administrative step toward permanent residency has turned into a detention operation for multiple families in San Diego, with federal agents handcuffing the spouses of US military personnel during their green card interviews. Witnesses describe scenes of confusion and distress as applicants, many of whom believed they were on the final path to legalisation, were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents inside US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) facilities.
The arrests mark a significant departure from established protocols, where marriage-based interviews for immediate relatives of US citizens were historically treated as low-risk proceedings. Legal experts warn that the shift, which targets individuals with no criminal record beyond visa overstays, effectively weaponises the legal immigration process against those attempting to regularise their status.
