ICE Disputes Texas Army Guard Sergeant’s Recounting of Spouse’s Deportation

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials are disputing a Texas Army National Guard sergeant’s retelling of her husband’s deportation and how her years of military service were ignored by federal authorities when deciding to remove him from the United States.

Military.com previously reported how Sgt. Nataly Castro, 26, a seven-year veteran who lives in Houston, has spent in excess of $3,000 in legal fees to help bring back her deported husband, Fredy Arcenio Zavala-Baires, 25, from El Salvador. The case is one of many highlighted by ongoing animosity between the federal government, lawmakers and citizens, based on differing views on ICE’s authority, handling of immigration cases, crime, and taxpayer monies subsidizing widespread deportation efforts.

The couple was married on April 9, 2023, and according to Castro, repeatedly attempted to secure proper immigration proceedings in order to gain U.S. citizenship. Days before Thanksgiving 2025, Zavala went in for a routine ICE appointment and was told by officials that he was being detained due to his immigration status. Castro acknowledged that he was not a U.S. citizen, having crossed the U.S.-Mexico border with his mother when he was a child.

Zavala then spent three days in an ICE facility prior to being transferred the following Monday to a detention center in Port Isabel, a few miles from South Padre Island and in proximity to the southern border. That was the last time Castro saw him in person.

An ICE spokesperson told Military.com that Zavala illegally entered the U.S. in August 2015 and was afforded full due process under the law. An immigration judge issued an order of removal against him on Sept. 12, 2017, and the Board of Immigration Appeals affirmed that decision on Oct. 22, 2018. ICE officers carried out that order and deported Zavala to El Salvador Nov. 27, 2025.

“There is a very clear process for spouses of service members to obtain lawful immigration status in the United States,” the spokesperson said. “Mr. Zavala has not been granted any immigration benefits or status that permit him to remain in the U.S. This administration is not going to ignore the rule of law.”

Rules for Military Spouses

Castro told Military.com that the information provided by ICE “is an accurate summary of my husband’s immigration journey.” However, she wanted to provide additional context and updates regarding their current situation.

“Regarding ICE’s comment about the clear legal pathways available for military families, I fully support those processes,” Castro said. “Unfortunately, we have discovered significant discrepancies and a lack of communication from our legal representation that we were unaware of until the deportation occurred.

“It has become clear that their delays in submitting paperwork significantly impacted my husband’s case, though at the time, we believed the timeline was standard.”

Spouses of U.S. service members may be eligible for expedited naturalization outside the U.S., according to U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the same goes for children of service members.

“Generally, spouses need to have lawful permanent resident status before naturalizing,” USCIS states on its website.

Some law firms say the typical visa process for military spouses who are not U.S. citizens can take several months to a year or longer.

Financial Hardships Add Up

Castro was deployed overseas between 2023 and 2024 as part of a mission to Egypt in support of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), telling Military.com that she and Fredy attempted to request a military expedite based on her active military service and family hardship.

“But the request was denied,” she said. “When I left for my overseas mission, we placed trust in our immigration attorney to properly handle our case and filings while I was serving abroad.”

Castro told Military.com that she recently received an update that the case has been transferred to the National Visa Center, believing it as “progress” resulting from an inquiry made by their U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), on their behalf. Military.com reached out to Garcia’s office but received no response.

Castro told Military.com that her husband’s months-long absence has resulted in her suffering “prolonged legal, financial, and emotional hardship that continues to impact my ability to serve and support my family.” The married couple have no children and met roughly six years ago.

While the two can communicate via apps like WhatsApp and FaceTime, the physical bond has obviously dissipated while the bills and paperwork add up. For example, Castro said her husband is now expected to file additional immigration waivers, including Form I-601 and Form I-212, which she claims will add further delays, legal costs, uncertainty, and extensive processing times. A single form can cost as much as $500 to submit.

“We bought a house together back in August, before the deportation happened,” Castro said. “Back then, we were able to split the expenses of the house. And now that I’m by myself, I have to cover all of that. I have to get another job just to cover the extra expenses, like the utility bill and mortgage.”

She also helps pay for Zavala’s food, transportation, Wi-Fi, electrical bills and water, etc.

The ICE spokesperson added that any concerns that Zavala has with rendered legal services would need to be addressed with his attorney.