Detained Georgia Veteran, a Jamaican-Born Army Servicemember, Faces Deportation — Fiancée Urges Protections for Non‑Citizen Veterans

April Watkins, the fiancée of Jamaican‑born Army veteran Godfrey Wade, says Wade deserves to remain in the United States after decades of service. Wade, 65, a grandfather and decorated veteran, was arrested in September for driving without a license and later transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He has been held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, since that arrest.

“If you served this country, you deserve a chance to stay in this country,” Watkins said, expressing hope that Wade’s case will prompt lawmakers to restore or strengthen immigration protections for former service members. She added that the case is not only about her fiancé but about all veterans who find themselves detained.

Wade, who came to the United States from Jamaica at age 15, enlisted in the U.S. Army, earned commendations for wartime service and good conduct, completed multiple college degrees, and worked a variety of jobs over the years. He was working in a café at the time of his arrest, according to reporting by KENS5.

Detention Facility and Family Impact

Wade is being held at Stewart, one of the nation’s largest immigration detention centers, operated by private prison company CoreCivic. Stewart has long been the subject of serious allegations, including claims of medical neglect and a string of deaths. One of the most recent fatalities was a suicide in June — reportedly the third suicide at the facility in recent years.

Wade’s six children told KENS5 that visiting their father has been difficult and traumatic.

“Just the process of being able to see my dad is very traumatic. He doesn’t deserve this, what he’s experiencing right now,”

one daughter said. The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover legal costs and try to “minimize financial catastrophe during his absence.”

Policy Context and Congressional Response

Wade’s case is part of a broader pattern of non‑citizen veterans facing detention and deportation under recent immigration enforcement changes. The Biden administration had previously issued an ICE directive intended to protect certain non‑citizen veterans and signed an executive order creating an initiative to help returned deported veterans and their families. That directive was rescinded after the start of the current administration in January, and advocates say the change has led to more veterans being targeted.

Members of Congress have asked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for more information on how many veterans have been detained or deported. A congressional letter in June estimated that 10,000 veterans or more may have been deported. Separately, a 2022 report from the Migration Policy Institute highlighted the sizable population of foreign‑born service members and veterans, underscoring concerns that many could be vulnerable to immigration enforcement.

The Guardian recently reported that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is preparing an internal report on its non‑citizen workforce. The memo indicates the VA is urgently compiling data on staff who are non‑citizens or affiliated with the department; some findings could be shared with other agencies, including ICE, potentially exposing additional veterans and employees to enforcement actions.

What’s Next

Wade’s legal team and family continue to pursue options to prevent his deportation. Lawmakers, veterans’ advocates and immigrant‑rights groups are watching the case closely as they press for clearer protections for those who served in the U.S. military but lack citizenship. The case highlights tensions between immigration enforcement priorities and the nation’s obligations to former servicemembers.