Trump Supporter Says He 'Stands By His Vote' As Immigrant Wife Faces Deportation

A man from Wisconsin who supported US President Donald Trump in the election has said he stands by his choice, despite his wife being arrested by federal immigration officials upon their return from their honeymoon.

Bradley Bartell's wife, Camila Munoz, a Peruvian national, had overstayed her visa but was in the process of securing permanent residency in the United States. Even with this ordeal, Bartell remains a Trump supporter, who has promised the largest mass deportation operation in American history. "I don't regret the vote," Bartell told Newsweek.

"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," he said.

Munoz arrived in Wisconsin Dells in 2019 on a work-study visa, which lapsed when international travel was disrupted by COVID-19. She worked in agriculture and hospitality, where she met Bartell.

After initially losing contact with him, she later found him again on Facebook, and their relationship grew serious. The pair eventually wed, though their honeymoon was postponed due to the pandemic.

In February, they travelled to Puerto Rico for their much-delayed honeymoon. Upon returning, immigration officers quizzed Munoz about her citizenship status. When she explained she was working towards a green card, she was taken into custody. She is now being held in an ICE facility in Louisiana.

Speaking to Newsweek, Bartell shared the anguish of seeing his wife detained. "It's all been a nightmare, really," he said. "We have an attorney. The system is very inefficient, so it is taking longer than it should."

Since going public with his story, Bartell has encountered criticism. "I've received a lot of hateful messages, plenty of people saying we deserve this. And a lot of other insults," he said.

Donald Trump has committed to executing widespread deportations of undocumented migrants, especially those with criminal histories. However, there are growing worries that enforcement is extending beyond the "worst first" strategy he initially outlined.

ICE agents have detained non-violent offenders and legal residents as part of Trump's deportation agenda, with the White House asserting that anyone in the country illegally is deemed a criminal.

MBartell has slammed ICE, urging reform. "ICE never really has any information, it seems. The system needs to be revamped for better processes and communication between departments." He also confessed that he has contemplated relocating to Peru if his wife is deported. "It has crossed my mind, but it would be very difficult for my son," he said.

Bartell isn't the only Trump backer impacted by the administration's immigration policies. On 8 March, Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student activist and green card holder, was detained at his home in a Columbia University-owned property in front of his pregnant wife. Known for his role in campus protests, Khalil is also being held in a Louisiana detention centre.

Since January, the US has deported 388 Indian nationals, the government informed Parliament on Friday. Of those, 333 were returned on three military flights in February.