Wife of Army Special Forces veteran could be deported: Report

Crawford is originally from Honduras, but left the country in 1999, after Hurricane Mitch ravaged the nation, and illegally entered the U.S. In 2001, she married Bob Crawford while he was still serving in the military and together they have two sons.

The couple learned that Elia Crawford was under a deportation order years ago when they tried to complete paperwork that would allow her to seek legal residency. The Department of Homeland Security will not lift the order, the Military Times reported Wednesday.

Due to the deportation order, Elia Crawford is not eligible for a program called “Parole in Place,” which allows spouses of active-duty troops or veterans to pursue a green card if they entered the country illegally.

According to Leticia Corona, the attorney representing the married couple, it has become more challenging to get deportation orders lifted under the Trump administration in comparison to administrations of the past.

Elia’s Crawford’s situation caused Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, who is a major in the Army National Guard and previously served two tours in the Middle East, to criticize the Trump administration.

“This is crazy. @realDonaldTrump You can’t claim to support veterans, military families while threatening to deport them,” Gabbard tweeted. “This family served 20yrs & deserves honor & our gratitude – not deportation. This needs to be fixed now, for them & other veterans & families being deported.”