A US Army staff sergeant and his new wife were reportedly preparing to move into their new home on a military base in Louisiana - but the woman was detained by ICE instead.

Matthew Blank, 23, said he arrived with his 22-year-old wife Annie Ramos at Fort Polk, where he was prepared to begin training for deployment, when Ramos was suddenly taken into custody.

'Our plan was to drive over, bring her to the office to get her military ID and activate her military spouse benefits,' Blank told the New York Times. 

'She was going to move in after the Easter weekend. Instead, she got ripped away from me.' 

Blank was well aware that his wife, who was brought to the country from Honduras when she was just a toddler, did not have legal status. 

However, the couple hired a lawyer before they were even married to ensure she could obtain her citizenship. 

'We were doing everything the right way,' Blank said. 

By Blank's account, Ramos was reportedly handcuffed and dragged away to another building and then to the processing facility. She is now being held at a detention center in Basile, Louisiana. 

'I grew up here like any American,' Ramos told the Times. 'This is all I know. My husband and family are here.'

Even though they are already married, in the US, non-citizens must 'remain in marital union' for three years before filing for naturalization, per the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website. 

Ramos and Blank's lawyer had reportedly already prepared a green card application, which was set to be filed imminently. 

In the meantime, the newlyweds only wanted to go through the proper channels to allow Ramos to move onto the military base with her husband. 

The couple claimed they arrived at the base early for their 2pm appointment on Thursday and checked in at the visitor's center. 

They had Ramos's birth certificate and passport, their marriage license and Blank's military ID in tow.

When Ramos told an employee that she did not have a green card or visa, Blank alleged that the worker made a series of frantic phone calls. 

According to the family, a supervisor escalated the simple appointment to the base's criminal investigation division, which contacted ICE and the Department of Homeland Security. 

The Department of Homeland Security told the Times that Ramos 'had no legal status to be in this country.'

'[She] was issued a final order of removal by a judge,' it read. 'This administration is not going to ignore the rule of law.'

Ramos was given a final removal order in 2005 when her family failed to appear in immigration court. 

She has no prior criminal record. 

Blank and Ramos met last year on a dating app. They quickly fell in love and were engaged by New Year's Day. 

They hosted 60 guests at their wedding last month in Houston before driving to Louisiana to begin their new life. 

On the day of Ramos's wedding, her mother posted a heartfelt message to her daughter. 

'From the moment you were born, I knew your story would be beautiful… and today, I see it becoming a reality,' it read, in part. 'I knew then that you were a unique gift from God. You have always been strong, loving, and full of light.'

Ramos is a Christian and often taught children's Sunday School at her Texas church. 

She was just months away from finishing her bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Arizona State University. 

Blank's mother, Jen Rickling, said Ramos is 'absolutely a darling.' 'We adore her,' she added. 

Blank has previously been deployed to Europe and the Middle East. 

'We are going to fight with everything I have. She is going to move in with me. We will start a family,' he said. 'I am going to be with her and serve my country.' 

His sister, Elizabeth Kluball, started a GoFundMe to support the family's efforts to reunite the couple. 

According to a tribute to Ramos on the fundraising page, she has 'deep roots and connections' in the US. 

'This situation has placed an enormous emotional and financial strain on all of us, especially as my brother faces the challenges of serving our country while worrying about his wife’s future,' it read.  

'We are doing everything we can to support her, but the legal process is complex and costly. The funds raised will go directly toward lawyer fees to help her with her citizenship process and to ensure she has the legal support she needs during this critical time.'

The family asked for $12,000 and has already raised $8,000. 

The Daily Mail contacted the US Military and DHS for comment.