Last month in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ICE officers detained Paola Clouatre — the wife of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran — during a routine green card appointment. She was breastfeeding her 3-month-old daughter when she was taken.

Her mother’s absence isn’t just painful—it’s disruptive to the child’s development and bonding during a critical stage of life. A baby needs her mother. A newborn deserves skin-to-skin comfort and care.

Her husband, Adrian Clouatre, is now raising their two young children alone while driving eight hours roundtrip to visit her in detention. 

Paola entered the U.S. as a child seeking asylum and was unaware that her mother missed an immigration hearing years ago, which triggered a deportation order. She and Adrian married in 2024 and were following the legal steps to adjust her status.

Instead of support, their attempt to “do the right thing” ended with handcuffs.

Since Trump took office, ICE has adopted harsher policies that remove protections historically granted to military families, including spouses of veterans. Now, even those seeking legal status through marriage to U.S. service members face sudden arrests and deportation.

Paola deserves to be with her family. Adrian deserves the support he was promised as a veteran. Their children deserve their mother.

We are calling on ICE and the Department of Homeland Security to release Paola Clouatre and halt deportation proceedings.

This is not how we treat those who’ve served this country.

Sign this petition to demand compassion, discretion, and justice for the Clouatre family.