A Wisconsin man who voted for Donald Trump is now worried about his wife’s well-being. His wife has been held in an ICE detention center since February 2025. Bradley Bartell and Camila Muñoz were returning from their honeymoon in Puerto Rico when immigration agents stopped her at the airport.
The Couple’s Story
Bradley Bartell and Camila Muñoz have a typical small-town love story. They met in Wisconsin Dells, a tourist town with just under 3,000 residents. Muñoz came to the United States from Peru in 2019. She arrived on a legal work-study visa to work at a local waterpark.
When COVID-19 hit in 2020, international travel stopped. Muñoz could not return to Peru. Her visa expired during this time. She stayed in Wisconsin Dells. She found work at a local farm and in hotel food service.
The couple met through mutual friends. At first, Muñoz threw away the piece of paper with Bartell’s phone number. But they later connected on Facebook. They had their first date at a local steakhouse. Both said they wanted a serious relationship.
After two years of dating, they got married. Muñoz was helping raise Bartell’s 12-year-old son. They were saving money to buy a house and have children together.
The Airport Detention
In February 2025, the couple finally took their delayed honeymoon to Puerto Rico. On their return trip, their lives changed dramatically. At the San Juan airport, an immigration agent asked Muñoz if she was an American citizen.
She honestly answered no. She explained that she was from Peru. She also told the agent that she and her husband were in the process of applying for her green card. This did not matter to the agents.
“It’s all been a nightmare really,” Bartell told reporters. Before agents took her away, Muñoz removed her wedding ring. She was afraid it might be taken from her. She put it in her backpack and handed it to her husband.
Bartell was shaken as he watched his wife disappear. “What the f— do I do?” he thought at that moment.
Detention Conditions and Communication
It took nearly a week for Bartell to find where ICE was holding his wife. She is now in a privately run detention center in Louisiana. She shares a dormitory with about 80 other women.
During video calls, Muñoz appears in a tan uniform. This color indicates she has no criminal record. The couple stays in touch through expensive phone calls that cost 20 cents per minute.
“Emotionally, I’m concerned for her,” Bartell said. “It can’t be easy being trapped in a room with 100 other people. They don’t have anything in there. It’s just so wasteful.”
Muñoz worries about her stepson. She wonders if he is eating properly without her Peruvian cooking.
Trump Voter’s Reflection
Despite what happened to his wife, Bartell has made conflicting statements about his vote for Donald Trump. In one interview, he stated, “I don’t regret the vote.” However, he has expressed growing concern about the immigration system.
“I knew they were cracking down,” he admitted. “I guess I didn’t know how it was going down.”
Bartell expected the administration to target people who crossed the border illegally or had criminal records. He did not expect them to detain someone like his wife.
“They know who she is and where she came from,” he said. “They need to get the vetting done and not keep these people locked up. It doesn’t make any sense.”
The couple’s savings for a house have now been spent on attorney fees. They are also saving money in case Muñoz is granted bond for her release.
Broader ICE Enforcement
Muñoz is not alone in her situation. ICE has detained several other non-criminal immigrants in recent weeks, including:
– A woman in her 50s who has lived in the U.S. for over 30 years and is married to a U.S. citizen
– A woman in her 30s who has proof of legal residency and whose family members are citizens
– A European woman engaged to a U.S. citizen who overstayed her visa
– A woman engaged to a legal permanent resident with whom she has lived for nine years
None of these women have criminal records.
Immigration attorneys warn that the current enforcement climate puts many immigrants at risk. “If you are not a citizen of the United States, and you are going through an immigration process, your first thought needs to be: How can this process be weaponized against me?” said Nora Ahmed from the ACLU of Louisiana.
David Rozas, Muñoz’s attorney, put it simply: “Anyone who isn’t a legal permanent resident or U.S. citizen is at risk – period.”
What Happens Next
Muñoz remains in ICE custody while awaiting a decision in her case. The White House has made it clear that anyone overstaying a visa is “subject to deportation.”
Bartell has considered drastic options if his wife is deported. “It has crossed my mind to move to Peru if she gets deported, but it would be very difficult for my son,” he said.
He hopes the attention on his case will highlight problems in the immigration system. “He [Donald Trump] didn’t create the system, but he does have an opportunity to improve it. Hopefully, all this attention will bring to light how broken it is.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Camila Muñoz?
Camila Muñoz, a Peruvian citizen married to a U.S. citizen, was detained by ICE agents at the San Juan airport in February 2025. She and her husband were returning from their honeymoon when immigration officials questioned her citizenship status and took her into custody despite her ongoing application for legal residency.
Why was Muñoz detained if she was married to a U.S. citizen?
Though marriage to a U.S. citizen provides a path to legal status, it doesn’t provide immediate protection from detention. The current administration considers anyone who has overstayed a visa to be “an illegal immigrant” subject to deportation, even if they are in the process of obtaining legal status.
Did Bradley Bartell regret voting for Donald Trump?
Bartell has given mixed responses about his vote. In some interviews, he stated he didn’t regret voting for Donald Trump, while in others he expressed concern about how immigration enforcement is being handled. He has criticized the system as inefficient and in need of reform.
How much does it cost to keep someone in ICE detention?
According to the American Immigration Council, it costs U.S. taxpayers approximately $282 per day to detain an adult immigrant (based on 2020 figures). This adds up to over $8,400 per month for each person detained.
What should immigrants in similar situations do?
Immigration attorneys advise extreme caution for anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Even those in the process of applying for legal status should be careful about traveling, especially through airport checkpoints where ICE agents may be conducting screenings. Speaking with an immigration attorney before traveling is highly recommended.
