Rosa Olson faces possible El Paso deportation after visa mix-up

Rosa Olson awaits a scheduled immigration court hearing in El Paso during her active deportation case. The proceeding could lead to her removal from the country later this month. Her husband is a seven-year active-duty soldier in the U.S. Army.

Jacob Olson said his statements represent his own opinions. He did not disclose his military rank because he does not speak for the military.

“All of the things I am saying today are opinions of my own personal opinions,” Olson said.

The soldier met his wife in July 2024. She held a student visa at that time. The pair married in November 2025 following his military deployment.

Olson said his wife stopped attending school in December 2025. The couple believed pending applications would protect her legal standing. She is a Mexican national.

“We filed the I-130 and the I-485 within three weeks of being married,” Olson said. “Something I didn’t know that needed to be included was an actual IRS tax return.”

An April 2025 ICE memorandum changed protection rules. Military service by relatives no longer automatically shields noncitizen family members from enforcement actions.

Immigration authorities denied the initial application because of the missing tax paperwork. The filing had cost $1,440.

“That’s because of my fault that I didn’t know better to do that, but UCIS also had the option to just specifically request and ask for the tax return, instead of denying our application that cost $1,440,” Olson said.

The couple later submitted a second round of paperwork through a notary. USCIS sent a receipt number for a work permit. The agency also scheduled an appointment for biometrics.

“Since we didn’t receive the denial, we thought things were fine because they gave us the work permit receipt and they scheduled biometrics to go and get fingerprints,” Olson said.

A formal notice to appear in court arrived shortly after the fingerprint appointment. The legal document initiated removal proceedings against the wife.

“It was a big scary moment,” Olson said. “We’re both really upset and wondering what the heck do we do and what’s wrong.”

The couple subsequently hired an attorney for help. They attended an initial El Paso hearing where they say the judge received inaccurate information.

“They were claiming that Rosa Olson had entered illegally when she did not enter illegally and they also were claiming that she was out of status not following her student visa,” Olson said.

The woman expressed deep fear over potential separation from her spouse. She stated she had never been so scared.

“It doesn’t feel good because I’ve never done anything wrong and I’ve been treated like a criminal this whole time. That’s how it feels,” Rosa Olson said.

The couple faces a second immigration court date on Oct. 22. Olson continues seeking help for the case.

“Our situation is just really frustrating for me because I’m just going through everything I can possibly do and I feel like even with all my efforts, it might not even matter in the end and my wife will be separated from me,” Olson said.

USCIS did not respond to requests for comment regarding the application. The agency handles lawful immigration and residency petitions.

Immigration court removal proceedings determine whether a foreign national may remain inside the country. Judges review visa history and family petitions during these legal hearings in El Paso.

The legal process remains ongoing.