
July 31, 2025 — In a notable development in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Paola Clouatre, the wife of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody on July 28, 2025, following intervention by Senator John Kennedy’s office.
Clouatre, a Mexican national and mother of two young children, had been detained for nearly two months, sparking widespread attention due to her family’s circumstances and the senator’s unexpected involvement.
Paola Clouatre, 25, was detained by ICE on May 27, 2025, during a routine appointment in New Orleans related to her green card application.
Clouatre had entered the United States as a minor with her mother over a decade ago, seeking asylum.
They were processed at the Tijuana border and granted parole, allowing temporary stay in the U.S.
However, in 2018, a deportation order was issued against Clouatre after her mother failed to appear for a court hearing in California.
At the time, Clouatre was estranged from her mother, homeless, and unaware of the order.
She only discovered it in 2025 while pursuing permanent resident status through her marriage to Adrian Clouatre, a Marine Corps veteran.
Clouatre’s detention separated her from her husband and their two children—a three-month-old daughter, Lyn, and a nearly two-year-old son, Noah.
The emotional toll was significant, with Clouatre expressing feelings of failure as a mother, unable to breastfeed her infant or care for her toddler.
Her husband, Adrian, a veteran who served honorably, was left to manage their young family alone while advocating for her release.
Senator Kennedy’s Role
Senator John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican known for his staunch support of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, played a pivotal role in securing Clouatre’s release.
On July 23, 2025, an immigration judge halted Clouatre’s deportation order, prompting her family’s attorney, Carey Holliday, to engage Kennedy’s office.
Emails reviewed by The Associated Press show that the family’s attorney contacted Kennedy’s office in early June, providing court documents by early July.
After the judge’s decision, Kennedy’s constituent services representative, Christy Tate, sent a formal request to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on July 25, 2025, urging Clouatre’s release and sharing the judge’s motion.
ICE confirmed it received the information and makes custody decisions on a case-by-case basis.
Clouatre was released the following Monday, July 28, 2025, from a detention center in north Louisiana.
Tate expressed relief in an email to Adrian Clouatre, stating, “I am so happy for you and your family,” and thanked him for his military service.
She added, “We will continue to keep you, your family, and others experiencing the same issues in our prayers.”
The senator’s office did not provide a public explanation for their intervention, and representatives declined to comment to The New York Times.
Kennedy’s involvement has drawn attention due to his vocal support for stringent immigration enforcement.
On July 17, 2025, during a Fox News interview, he stated, “If you’re in our country illegally, you’re a criminal,” and criticized those opposing deportations as lacking intellectual honesty.
His advocacy for Clouatre, whose case aligns with the very policies he champions, has sparked discussion about potential inconsistencies.
Some observers note that Clouatre’s connection to a military veteran and the public attention her case received may have influenced the decision.
The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, aiming to arrest 3,000 individuals daily suspected of being in the U.S. illegally, has placed tens of thousands in ICE custody, including Clouatre.
Her detention occurred amid heightened enforcement, with ICE targeting immigration courthouses and workplaces.
Adrian Clouatre criticized the blanket approach, stating, “It shouldn’t just be like ‘Oh, they’re illegal, throw them in ICE detention.’
They should actually look at the circumstances.”
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Current Status and Future Outlook
Paola Clouatre is now back home in Baton Rouge, wearing an ankle monitor as she awaits further immigration proceedings.
Her attorney, Carey Holliday, expressed optimism about Clouatre’s green card application, noting that the process could take years but appears promising.
The family plans to resume normal life, with Adrian expressing hope to “make up” for the day of her arrest, when they had planned to enjoy New Orleans’ famous beignets.
The case highlights broader tensions in U.S. immigration policy, particularly for families with mixed immigration status.
Holliday emphasized the injustice of detaining the spouse of a veteran who served honorably, stating, “It’s not a good look.”
Public awareness and advocacy from Kennedy’s office proved instrumental in Clouatre’s release, though posts on X suggest that many other ICE detainees may not receive similar intervention.
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