ICE Detains Wife of Staunch MAGA Supporter Who Donated Almost All His Net Income to Trump Campaign

David Prine, 51, a decorated disabled United States Marine Corps veteran and current Social Services representative at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Call Center for Homeless Veterans, shared his family’s ordeal in an exclusive interview with Newsweek.

Prine’s wife, Yenifer Correa Ganan, 35, has been held in federal immigration custody since May 2025, following a series of events that have upended their lives.

According to Prine, Ganan entered the U.S. legally in January 2024 under the CBP One parole program, seeking refuge from violence in Colombia. She arrived with her young daughter, Ana Maria, in search of safety. Ganan quickly found employment, working for UPS and later at Virginia Tech, contributing to the household and helping care for Prine’s teenage daughter, Dakota.

“I supported President Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024. I donated almost all my net income in 2015 to his campaign, earning an inaugural invitation,” Prine said. “I still support him today and hope he would show compassion and recognize that this family deserves dignity and closure.”

The couple initially applied for a marriage-based green card, but Prine says they were told the process could take several years. Their urgency to find safety intensified after Prine was shot in the face during a 2023 robbery in Colombia, prompting the family’s entry into the U.S.

However, in April 2025, the situation took a dramatic turn. The government’s revocation of the national parole program left Ganan without legal status. On May 5, she filed a Motion for Voluntary Departure with the Charlotte immigration court, notifying the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as required. That motion was rejected due to a clerical error.

Soon after, on May 17, Ganan was arrested by local authorities in Christiansburg, Virginia, following a domestic dispute. Although all state charges were subsequently dropped, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a detainer and transferred her to the South Texas ICE Processing Center on May 29. Since then, her bond motions have been denied, and her next hearing is scheduled for July 29.

Ganan has repeatedly asked for permission to leave the U.S. voluntarily. “She’s not asking to stay,” Prine emphasized. “She only wants to return to Colombia with her daughter. I offered to post a $50,000 cash bond and personally escort her. She’s begged ICE for permission to depart voluntarily, yet remains incarcerated.”

The separation has placed immense strain on the family. Prine, who has a 100 percent VA disability rating due to a traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, and mobility challenges, says Ganan was the sole caregiver helping him manage daily life.

“Yenifer was the only person helping me care for our household and two children, including her daughter Ana Maria and my teenage daughter, Dakota,” he said. “Without her, I’m overwhelmed, watching my mental health slip while trying to care for everyone.”

Prine described how Ana Maria cries daily for her mother, filling the refrigerator with drawings for her. Dakota, too, is struggling emotionally with the sudden loss of stability in their home.

The case comes as the Trump administration continues to push its hardline immigration agenda. The White House has repeatedly stated that individuals living in the U.S. without legal status are considered criminals and has vowed mass deportations as part of its immigration crackdown.

Prine, despite his enduring support for Trump, now finds himself appealing directly to the president. “I believe in what President Trump stands for. But I also believe he should see this family’s pain and offer compassion. We are fractured, doing our best to hold on.”

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ICE has drawn bipartisan criticism over its operations.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has repeatedly condemned ICE’s enforcement actions, calling for its abolition and arguing that the agency’s practices “systematically violate human rights” through family separations and harsh detention conditions.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has similarly criticized ICE for what she describes as “inhumane and cruel” treatment of immigrants, particularly asylum seekers. Both have pushed for significant structural reforms or dismantling of the agency.

On the Republican side, figures like Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) have raised concerns about government overreach and ICE’s surveillance powers, warning they could infringe on civil liberties.

Former Representative Justin Amash (R-MI) also criticized the agency for a lack of accountability and failure to focus solely on dangerous criminals, arguing that ICE’s sweeping raids often ensnare non-violent immigrants and disrupt communities unnecessarily.

Many have equally expressed deep disdain for ICE, accusing the agency of fostering a climate of fear rather than safety.

Critics argue that ICE’s tactics—such as surprise raids, family separations, and prolonged detentions—target vulnerable individuals rather than dangerous criminals.

Reports of inhumane conditions in detention centers have fueled outrage, as has the perception that ICE operates with little accountability or oversight.

Protesters nationwide have called for ICE to be defunded or abolished, viewing it as a symbol of government overreach and cruelty that undermines America’s values of fairness, compassion and justice.

In response, ICE officials have defended the agency’s mission, stating that it is tasked with “faithfully enforcing the laws passed by Congress.”

ICE has emphasized that its operations target individuals who pose security or public safety risks, while also noting that it operates under the directives and resources provided by lawmakers themselves.