
Marine veteran says wife's ICE detention is 'devastating'
Clip: 2/24/2026 | 6m 4sVideo has Closed Captions
Marine veteran says wife's ICE detention is 'confusing' and 'devastating'
In the past few weeks, the Department of Homeland Security has posted regular lists of criminals it is deporting. Despite the Trump administration’s claim that it is focused on the “worst of the worst,” data from the nonpartisan TRAC clearinghouse shows nearly 75% of ICE detainees have no criminal conviction. Lisa Desjardins spoke with a Marine veteran whose wife is in federal custody.
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Marine veteran says wife's ICE detention is 'devastating'
Clip: 2/24/2026 | 6m 4sVideo has Closed Captions
In the past few weeks, the Department of Homeland Security has posted regular lists of criminals it is deporting. Despite the Trump administration’s claim that it is focused on the “worst of the worst,” data from the nonpartisan TRAC clearinghouse shows nearly 75% of ICE detainees have no criminal conviction. Lisa Desjardins spoke with a Marine veteran whose wife is in federal custody.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipAMNA NAWAZ: In the past few weeks, the Department of Homeland Security has posted regular lists of criminals it's deporting as part of its crackdown on illegal immigration.
A Web site now allows the public to view arrests.
Despite the Trump administration's claim it's focused on the worst of the worst, data from the nonpartisan TRAC clearinghouse shows nearly 75 percent of ICE detainees have no criminal conviction.
Our Lisa Desjardins is back now with a look at one example, the wife of a Marine veteran.
Lisa spoke with the husband yesterday.
LISA DESJARDINS: Diana Butnarciuc entered the U.S.
in 2008 on a tourist visa and soon asked for asylum from her native country of Moldova.
That asylum claim was in the courts for years until it was finally denied in 2020.
But, in the meantime, she worked legally, paid taxes, and married a Marine veteran.
In 2020, they applied for her to get a status as his spouse.
They waited six years for her official interview for that.
But when they went to that appointment earlier this month, Diana was instead detained and told she would be deported.
That would block her from return for at least 10 years.
Her husband, Marine veteran Patrick Baja, joins me now.
Patrick, tell us what happened when you went to that appointment at Citizenship and Immigration Services.
PATRICK BAJA, Husband of Diana Butnarciuc: Yes, well, we went to the appointment thinking this is our shot finally.
We are getting the interview that we waited six years for.
And we planned on the interview just as expected.
Once we got into the interview, it was about five minutes.
And we were interrupted by the ICE agents.
The ICE agents entered and they detained my wife.
LISA DESJARDINS: Had you thought something like that could happen?
And did you have time to understand that you might be saying goodbye in that moment?
PATRICK BAJA: Yes, we always knew that there was a risk of something like that happening.
But our lawyer had spoken to USCIS the day before.
And they had never seen anybody detained by ICE ever in that office.
So we were the first ones for them to ever see that happen to.
That moment was very confusing, again, very emotional, just every negative emotion you can think of, confusion.
We -- I didn't -- I couldn't process it and it neither could she.
LISA DESJARDINS: She has two U.S.
citizen daughters from her previous marriage.
How do you think they see this?
PATRICK BAJA: They're feeling the same way as I am, very confused, very emotional, obviously wanting to see their mother.
They miss her dearly and they are just trying their best to live without her.
But, again, it's very, very difficult for them.
LISA DESJARDINS: DHS put out a statement about her case.
And they said that she "has received full due process through her countless appeals.
She has no lawful status to remain in the U.S."
They also said: "Detention is a choice and that she could self-deport."
Patrick, how do you respond to that?
PATRICK BAJA: Yes, again, it's confusing, because that's not what we heard.
We have spoken into many lawyers, and they said that we were on the correct path, doing the right thing.
LISA DESJARDINS: Now, as you know, Diana entered this country legally.
We have talked to other detainees who entered illegal, but she entered legally.
However, she ultimately was under a removal order.
It hadn't been enforced, but do you think she had an obligation to leave?
Under the laws of this country, she was under removal order years ago.
PATRICK BAJA: We were told that she had a removal order, but we appealed it and tried our best to get that completed as soon as we could, because we were told that that was an option.
We're doing the right things, trying to follow the protocol, trying to do everything we could the right way.
LISA DESJARDINS: Yes, there is a real question in cases like yours of, should there be some deference?
I know again that you are a Marine veteran.
I want to ask about her, one question.
Does she have any criminal record, Diana?
PATRICK BAJA: Not at all, squeaky clean.
LISA DESJARDINS: So then I wonder how you see it when the administration says that they are getting the worst of the worst and criminals and how you see this immigration crackdown overall.
PATRICK BAJA: Yes, again, I understand.
Again, me being a military guy, I understand rules, I understand laws, I understand orders.
But, again, with her not having a criminal record and them saying that they're going for the ones that are criminals just doesn't add up to me.
LISA DESJARDINS: You are recognized as 100 percent disabled because of your service to this country specifically.
And I want to ask you, if Diana is deported, what that would mean for you.
And it would also mean she likely could not return for 10 years.
I wonder what you would do as her husband.
PATRICK BAJA: It's been devastating since the beginning, and I don't even know what to expect.
She is my everything.
I mean, I need her every single day.
And already life without her this past week-and-a-half has been a challenge, to say the least.
LISA DESJARDINS: How are you holding up?
What's getting you through?
PATRICK BAJA: I don't even know.
Honestly, I'm just putting one foot in front of the other, trying to do my best, trying to do my best for her to try to exhaust all options of getting her out of there and doing anything I can to help her.
LISA DESJARDINS: Patrick Baja, thank you very much for talking with us.
PATRICK BAJA: Thank you for your time.
I appreciate you.
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