Marine Vet's Wife Released After Trump Ally's Intervention

A Marine Corps Veteran's Wife Released from ICE Detention

A Marine Corps veteran’s wife, Paola Clouatre, has been released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after a series of interventions by Louisiana Senator John Kennedy. The case highlights the complex intersection of immigration policy, legal procedures, and personal advocacy.

Paola, a Mexican national, had been detained by ICE since late May and was among tens of thousands of individuals held in detention as part of the Trump administration's push for 3,000 immigration-related arrests daily. Her release came after a federal immigration judge halted her deportation order, and Kennedy’s office contacted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to advocate on her behalf. By Monday, she was back home in Baton Rouge with her husband, Adrian Clouatre, and their two young children.

This situation is one of several recent examples where Louisiana lawmakers have stepped in to assist families facing deportation. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, another Republican from Louisiana, recently helped secure the release of an Iranian woman from ICE custody in New Orleans.

Key Details Behind the Release

Emails reviewed by The Associated Press show that Kennedy’s office submitted a formal request to DHS on Friday, asking for Paola’s release based on the judge’s decision earlier in the week. On July 23, an immigration judge ruled to halt her deportation, and the following day, Kennedy’s staff forwarded the ruling to DHS and ICE.

Christy Tate, a constituent services representative for Kennedy, communicated with ICE throughout the process and kept the Clouatre family informed. In an email to Adrian Clouatre after Paola’s release, Tate wrote, “I am so happy for you and your family. God is truly great!”

Carey Holliday, the family’s attorney, credited Kennedy’s office as being “instrumental” in securing Paola’s release by directly engaging with DHS. Although the senator’s office declined to comment further, Tate’s email correspondence detailed how she followed up persistently with ICE and shared court documentation to support the request.

Senator Kennedy’s Stance on Immigration

Senator Kennedy has largely supported President Trump’s strict immigration agenda. On July 17, he posted on Facebook, “Illegal immigration is illegal — duh,” as part of his continued support for ICE enforcement. However, he has occasionally criticized the administration’s actions when errors have occurred, such as when a U.S. citizen was mistakenly deported earlier this year. In Paola Clouatre’s case, the senator’s office appeared to balance its hardline stance with a more compassionate, case-by-case approach to advocacy.

Background on Paola Clouatre

Paola had been detained since May 27, when she was taken into custody during an immigration appointment related to her green card application. She had entered the U.S. as a child alongside her mother more than a decade ago and had initially been processed legally while seeking asylum. However, her mother later failed to appear for a court hearing, and in 2018, a judge issued a deportation order against Paola—who by then had become estranged from her mother and was experiencing homelessness. Her legal status remained unresolved despite her marriage to a U.S. veteran and her efforts to comply with immigration procedures.

The Department of Homeland Security previously told The AP it considered Clouatre to be “illegally” in the country but did not comment following her release.

Reactions and Future Steps

Adrian Clouatre expressed frustration with the agency’s actions, saying, “It shouldn’t just be like a blanket 'Oh, they're illegal, throw them in ICE detention.'" He urged officials to consider individual circumstances more carefully.

Now home, Paola is wearing an ankle monitor but able to care for her children again. Reunited with her infant daughter and toddler son, she told the AP she finally feels like a mother again: “I was feeling bad,” she said of her time in detention. “I was feeling like I failed my kids.”

The family’s attorney noted that while Paola’s immigration case is far from over, the halted deportation order gives them a strong chance of securing permanent residency in the future. Adrian says they’re looking forward to resuming normal life—and picking up where they left off the day she was detained.

“We’re going to make that day up,” he said, recalling their interrupted plan to enjoy beignets in New Orleans.