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Army sergeant's wife detained by ICE, later deported to Honduras despite halted flight

Jul 11, 2026·Location: El Paso, TX

Country of origin: Honduras

Army sergeant's wife detained by ICE, later deported to Honduras despite halted flight

Cristy Maryori Villafranca Trejo, a 29-year-old Honduran national married to Army Sgt. Hedár Leonel Turcios Juárez, was detained by ICE agents on July 11 as the family returned from Walmart near Fort Bliss, Texas. Their 6-year-old U.S. citizen daughter witnessed masked agents handcuff her mother after unmarked vehicles boxed in the family's SUV; agents cited a missed court appearance. Villafranca, who had served as the family's primary caregiver including during her husband's nine-month deployment, was held at Camp East Montana, a detention facility on Fort Bliss, where she reported an infection and unsanitary conditions. She was nearly placed on a deportation flight on Aug. 17, which DHS said was halted due to a 'legal impediment,' but was later woken and taken to the airport, where she had a panic attack before being deported to Honduras. The couple has a pending Board of Immigration Appeals case and a military parole-in-place application, and Turcios has been arranging child care and paying for private legal representation while continuing his military duties.

Timeline

Aug 17, 2026DHS attempted to place her on a deportation flight; agency said a 'legal impediment' halted her removal.
Aug 17, 2026Villafranca later woken and taken to the airport, where she had a panic attack before being deported to Honduras.
Jul 11, 2026Cristy Villafranca Trejo detained by ICE agents during a traffic stop near Fort Bliss, Texas, in front of her husband and daughter.

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