Marine Parents Deported: What Happened During Camp Pendleton Visit?

The parents of a U.S. Marine were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while visiting their daughter at Camp Pendleton, California, leading to the father’s deportation. The incident, which took place in early October 2025, has sparked outrage and renewed debate over immigration policies affecting military families.

Esteban Rios and Luisa Rodriguez, longtime residents of Oceanside, California, were attempting to visit their pregnant daughter and her Marine husband when ICE agents took them into custody. Their son, Marine Steve Rios, said he enlisted to make his parents proud after witnessing their decades of sacrifice.

Steve and Ashley Rios and their parents, Esteban Rios and Luisa Rodriguez, before their deportation trauma began. / NBC 7 San Diego

Marine Parents Detained and Deported After Base Visit

According to NBC 7 San Diego, Esteban Rios and Luisa Rodriguez were stopped by ICE agents at the entrance to Camp Pendleton as they arrived to visit their daughter Ashley Rios. The couple, who immigrated from Mexico more than 30 years ago, have no criminal records and were living in the U.S. under work visas while awaiting green card approval sponsored by their son Steve.

The family described the encounter as deeply traumatic. Ashley, who is pregnant, recalled breaking down in tears after learning her parents were detained. “It was scary because my whole life, it’s always been in the back of my head,” Steve said. “They worked from dawn to dusk to give us a better life.”

The couple was initially released with ankle monitors and ordered to report to ICE later in the week. When they complied, both were detained again after waiting for several hours. Esteban, wearing a hat reading “Proud dad of a U.S. Marine,” was deported to Mexico shortly thereafter. Luisa remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

“It’s just hard because you want to hear your parents’ voice telling you everything will be OK,” Ashley said. “I’d always want my mom in the delivery room, so it’s hard to think she might not be there.”

Policy Context and Reactions to the Deportation

The case comes amid a broader push by the Trump administration to deport millions of undocumented migrants as part of its immigration enforcement strategy. Advocacy groups and legal experts argue that the policy disproportionately impacts families of service members and veterans who have otherwise integrated into American society.

ICE defended the action in a statement, saying, “As part of its routine operations, ICE arrests aliens who commit crimes and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws. All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention, and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.”

Critics argue the incident highlights inconsistencies in immigration enforcement, especially regarding military families. Cases like that of the Rios family have raised concerns in Congress, where lawmakers from both parties have previously called for protections for the immediate family members of service members.

Legal experts say Luisa Rodriguez’s pending green card application and work authorization may provide grounds for her legal team to seek relief. However, Esteban Rios’ deportation complicates the family’s future and could take years to resolve.

The “Marine parents deported” case underscores the human cost of current immigration enforcement policies and has reignited calls for reforms that better protect military families from separation.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: Why were the Marine’s parents deported?

ICE detained them for being in violation of U.S. immigration law despite pending green card applications. The father was deported shortly after being detained.

Q2: Do the parents have criminal records?

No. The family says both Esteban and Luisa have no criminal history and have lived in the U.S. for more than 30 years.

Q3: Where is the mother now?

Luisa Rodriguez remains in ICE custody as she awaits removal proceedings.

Q4: How has the Marine family responded?

Their children described the experience as terrifying and devastating, especially as Ashley is expecting a child soon and wanted her parents present.

Q5: Could Luisa avoid deportation?

Legal experts say her pending green card application might offer a chance to challenge removal, but outcomes are uncertain.