He’s a Marine veteran and Trump supporter—now his Colombian wife has been arrested by ICE

Though President Donald Trump campaigned on deporting ‘criminals,’ his critics have been proven correct that his definition of the immigrants that fall into this group is much broader than he led on. The messaging from the Trump White House has made clear that their view is that anyone in the country with the proper documentation is a criminal. Under US law, such an offense is a civil rather than criminal violation.

Trump’s supporters find themselves trapped by his immigration policy

Further, undocumented immigrants married to US citizens or who are the parents of US citizen children have not been afforded any leeway either. Now, the widespread nature of Trump’s immigration policy is beginning to impact those who voted for him directly. David Prine, a 51-year-old veteran married to Yenifer Correa Ganan, a Colombian, spoke with Newsweek about the devastating situation his family finds itself in. The veteran is a staunch supporter of President Trump, stating that he voted for him in all three elections and donated a significant portion of his unspent income to his campaigns.

Ganan and her daughter entered the United States in January 2024, and until April, were residing in the country legally through the CBP One parole program. However, when the Trump administration ended the program, Ganan’s legal status was terminated. Prine said in the interview that he and Ganan had spoken with a lawyer to see if they could obtain a Green Card, but were discouraged when told that the process could take years.

Prine told Newsweek that his wife had tried to self-deport, and following the proper protocol, informed the Department of Homeland Security. DHS reportedly rejected her application due to a “clerical issue,” leaving her future and that of her family in limbo.

A few weeks later, Ganan was arrested after a domestic altercation, but Newsweek reported that the charges were later dropped. Nevertheless, she has remained in detention, and though she has asked repeatedly to be deported so that she can be reunited with her daughter, step-daughter, and husband, she has been denied.

“I still support him today and hope he would show compassion and recognize that this family deserves dignity and closure”

David Prine

DHS responded to Newsweek’s story by releasing a statement claiming that Ganan is a criminal, ignoring the fact that she has never been convicted of a crime in the US. The outlet reported that her next hearing is scheduled for July 29, 2025.

ICE facilities are way over capacity

The Trump administration has imposed arrest targets on ICE as high as 3,000 detentions a day, leading to widespread raids at workplaces, schools, and other public places, leaving some undocumented migrants afraid to leave their homes. In the chaos, US citizens have been detained, as agents are more focused on the number of arrests made rather than the legality or rights of those detained.

Though around 70 percent of voters believe in a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants without a criminal record, with numbers even higher for those brought to the US as children, the Trump administration is rounding these people up. CBS News reported earlier this week that around 59,000 people are in ICE custody, a figure that is close to 20,000 higher than the number of beds available in these facilities, based on the funding allocated by Congress.

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