The surprising statements of the Trump voter whose wife was arrested by ICE: “I don’t regret the vote”
Bradley Bartell backed Trump, and now his wife faces deportation—but he remains steadfast in his decision: “He didn’t create the system”.
The story of Bradley Bartell and Camila Muñoz has captured widespread attention. The couple was separated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents upon returning from their honeymoon in Puerto Rico. Muñoz, originally from Peru, had been in the process of securing legal residency. Bartell, a Wisconsin native, had recently cast his vote for Donald Trump.
According to reports, Bartell supported Trump partly because of his promise to deport undocumented immigrants with criminal records. However, he hadn’t realized that the policy would extend to most undocumented immigrants—including those, like his wife, who were awaiting legal status approval.
An unexpected arrest
Although Muñoz was in the process of obtaining U.S. citizenship through marriage, that wasn’t enough to prevent ICE agents from detaining her. She was taken to an ICE detention center, where she now awaits possible deportation to Peru.
“I don’t regret the vote”
Despite the heartbreaking separation from his wife, Bartell remains firm in his political choice. In an interview with Newsweek, he insisted that he does not regret voting for Trump. However, he criticized ICE’s handling of immigration cases, stating that the agency needs urgent reform.
“I don’t regret the vote [for Trump],” Bartell stated. “I’ve received a lot of hateful messages, plenty of people saying we deserve this. And a lot of other insults.”
“ICE never really has any information, it seems. The system needs to be revamped for better processes and communication between departments,” he added.
"I don't regret the vote," Bradley Bartell said after his wife was detained by ICE as they returned home from their honeymoon. https://t.co/JFJtHrhXim
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) March 19, 2025
Bartell defended his vote by arguing that Trump didn’t create the immigration system but has the opportunity to improve it. “He didn’t create the system, but he does have an opportunity to improve it. Hopefully, all this attention will bring to light how broken it is.”
Immigration crackdown under Trump
Since Donald Trump took office on January 20, ICE agents have arrested more than 30,000 immigrants—including many without criminal records—in what has been described as the largest deportation effort in U.S. history.