Kathmandu— Maisa Lopes Eliaser, the wife of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Alexis Jaramillo, has returned home to Louisiana after being taken off a deportation flight to her native Brazil mid-flight, according to accounts she and her husband provided to the Associated Press. The reversal came as Congressional Democrats investigated deportations of military service members and their families—a practice that increased following policy changes enacted by the Trump administration. Eliaser had been held in federal immigration detention for over a month after being issued a final order of removal earlier this year, but was asked by ICE officials on the plane if she wished to continue her journey or return to the U.S.

Congressional Scrutiny and Intervention

Earlier this month, The Associated Press reported on Eliaser’s case as part of a larger pattern of detentions affecting spouses and parents of U.S. troops. This reporting prompted an investigation by a group of Democratic members of Congress into the deportations of military families. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a former Navy officer, directly contacted the ICE field office handling Eliaser's detention, according to his spokesperson, and publicly stated that detaining military family members is “wrong and makes no sense at all.” He further argued that focusing on deporting military families instead of addressing broader issues within the immigration system is unproductive.

Mid-Flight Reversal

Eliaser was placed on a deportation flight Wednesday when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers received an unknown phone call regarding her case while she was en route to Brazil. She recounted being asked by an ICE officer whether she wanted to continue to Brazil or return to the United States. While other detainees were removed from the plane in Brazil, Eliaser remained on board and returned to Louisiana, where officials told her she had become “famous” due to media coverage of her situation.

Family Disruption and Ongoing Concerns

The detention of Eliaser, who entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2019 and overstayed, significantly impacted her family. Jaramillo, an aviation operations specialist with over a decade of service, was forced to take leave from his duties at Fort Polk, Louisiana, to care for their five-year-old son after Eliaser’s detention on July 8th. Despite assurances that there will be no further issues with her case, the couple remains anxious about the future. “We are really, really, really scared about it,” Jaramillo said, adding he pleaded with an official to not cause them any more hardship. Eliaser described her time in detention as traumatic, stating she felt like “an animal” and is still struggling to sleep.

Pattern of Intervention

Eliaser’s case is not isolated. Similar interventions have occurred in other high-profile cases over the past year. Annie Ramos was released from immigration custody after a public outcry as her husband prepared for Army deployment, while Senator Tammy Duckworth personally contacted DHS to secure the release of Deisy Rivera Ortega, the wife of an Army sergeant and veteran of three tours in Afghanistan.

Eliaser has another appointment scheduled on Monday to attempt to reopen her case and move forward with her green card application. Advocates are continuing to push for broader protections for military families facing deportation.

(With inputs from AP)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.