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Houston U.S. Army member plans move to Honduras after wife's deportation

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Published  June 6, 2025 6:23pm CDT
Immigration
FOX 26 Houston
U.S. Army member moving to Honduras after wife's deportation

U.S. Army member moving to Honduras after wife's deportation

An active duty military member with the U.S. Army is leaving the country after his wife was deported. The couple were in the process of obtaining a military parole in place.

The Brief

    • Aysaac Correa, a U.S. Army member, plans to move to Honduras to reunite with his wife, Shirly Guardado, who was deported after being in federal custody for over two months.
    • Correa expressed disappointment in the Trump administration, feeling betrayed after voting for him and serving the country, as he believed only violent criminals would be targeted.
    • While Guardado has the option to return to the U.S. legally, the process will take time, and the couple has already started working on it.

HOUSTON - Aysaac Correa, an active-duty U.S. Army member, is preparing to leave the country to reunite with his wife, Shirly Guardado, who was deported to Honduras.

‘I just feel betrayed’

What they're saying:

Aysaac Correa is counting down the days until June 16, when he plans to sell all his belongings and move to Honduras to be with his wife and their one-year-old son. Guardado was in federal custody for over two months before her deportation.

"It was a chill that came down my spine," Correa said. "It felt almost as bad as finding out that she got taken in by ICE, but at the same time, I have the possibility of going to see her again."

Guardado described her difficult journey via Facetime, recounting her experience of being taken from the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe. She was shackled on a plane with mostly men, traveling through Louisiana and Texas before reaching Honduras.

"This administration, they're being heartless," Correa said. "They're targeting people coming out of their cases, their hearings. They're out of control."

Correa expressed disappointment in President Donald Trump, whom he voted for, believing he would target only violent criminals. As a U.S. Army member, Correa feels betrayed by the administration's actions.

"It is exhausting. Putting my life on the line for this country wasn’t an easy decision. Honestly, I just feel betrayed," he said.

A video captured the moment Guardado arrived in Honduras. While she is now free, Correa can only communicate with her through video calls until they reunite.

What's next:

Guardado still has the option to return to the United States legally, but the process will take time. The couple has already begun working on it. Correa has put in a transfer to the Soto Cano Air Base, which is a part of the Joint Task Force-Bravo, a military base in Honduras.

Shirly's immigration history

The backstory:

Shirly entered the U.S. illegally in 2014 at age 16 and was issued an expedited removal order, later released under supervision. She has consistently reported to immigration authorities, graduated from high school, and married Asyaac, an active-duty U.S. Army service member, in 2022. In 2023, U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) approved Asyaac’s petition for Shirly, making her arrest unexpected.

What does it mean to have a petition approved?

Dig deeper:

When a petition is approved by USCIS, it means they have determined the petitioner meets the requirements for the requested immigration benefit and has approved the petition. This approval is typically followed by an official notice, such as Form I-797 Notice of Action, which can be used as evidence of the approval. 

Correa filed Shirly's petition, and it was approved on November 18, 2023, and is sponsoring her request for Military Parole in Place – which the couple were waiting for. 

What is Military Parole in Place (PIP)?

Military Parole in Place (PIP) is a program that allows certain family members of U.S. military personnel, veterans, or reservists who entered the U.S. without authorization to remain in the country for a specified period. It provides temporary legal status to these family members, enabling them to stay while addressing their immigration status and potentially applying for permanent residency. 

FOX 26 first to report this story

Timeline:

FOX 26 news reporter Jonathan Mejia first reported the story before it gained national attention. 

The other side:

On Friday night, ICE sent FOX 26 Houston a statement:

STATEMENT:

Shirley Daniela Guardado-Funez, a 27-year-old alien from Honduras, illegally entered the United States on or around Feb. 22, 2014, and was immediately apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol. Guardado was processed as an expedited removal and released on an order of supervision based on the immigration enforcement priorities at that time. Guardado filed a request for parole in place with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Dec. 14, 2023. However, that request was denied May 29, 2024. As an alien in expedited removal proceedings, Guardado is not entitled to an immigration hearing or eligible to adjust her status and is subject to mandatory detention. To ensure compliance with the law, ICE took her into custody March 13, 2025, and she was taken to the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas. On May 30, ICE removed Guardado-Funez to Honduras. 

ON BACKGROUND:

On Jan. 21, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security published a notice in the Federal Register titled Designating Aliens for Expedited Removal that restored the scope of expedited removal to the fullest extent authorized by Congress under section 235(b)(1)(A)(iii) of the INA. 

Aliens in expedited removal proceedings – who have not expressed an intent to apply for asylum or a fear of persecution or torture should they be returned to their country of origin – are not entitled to an immigration hearing before an immigration judge or to appeal the expedited removal order to the Board of Immigration Appeals. 

Aliens who are subject to expedited removal are not entitled to adjust their status. 

Military parole in place allows certain alien family members of U.S. military personnel, veterans, and enlistees to remain in the United States legally. It is granted on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, allowing individuals who entered the U.S. without authorization to stay for a certain period of time. 

ICE’s detention authority is based on the furtherance of an alien’s immigration proceedings, and if so ordered, their removal from the country. Federal immigration laws mandate the detention of certain categories of aliens, including terrorist aliens, aliens with certain criminal convictions, arriving aliens, and aliens in the expedited removal process. 

Aliens who have been authorized to work in the U.S. (work permits) are not conferred any form of lawful status and can be placed in immigration proceedings or detained at any time. 

Honduran mother remains separated from family

Honduran mother remains separated from family

It's a bittersweet birthday celebration for a Houston father and son, as the mom is still detained by ICE Center in Conroe. FOX 26's Jonathan Mejia first reported on this story in March. Months later, the family remains separated as their child turns 1-year-old today.

The Source: FOX 26's Jonathan Mejia spoke with Aysaac Correa and his wife, Shirly Guardado.

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