Texas teen mariachi brothers, family released from ICE custody
Texas teen mariachi brothers, family released from ICE custody
Thao Nguyen, USA TODAYTue, March 10, 2026 at 5:37 AM UTC
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A South Texas family that includes two teenage mariachi musicians part of an award-winning band was reunited on Monday, March 9, after their case drew widespread criticism from members of Congress and civil rights advocates, officials said.
Antonio Yesayahu Gámez-Cuéllar, 18, and his brother Caleb, 14, along with their 12-year-old brother and parents, were detained on Feb. 25 after they appeared for a scheduled check-in with federal immigration authorities, according to the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. Gámez-Cuéllar was separated from his family, who were detained in a detention center for families in Dilley, while he was held at a Raymondville, Texas, facility about 230 miles away.
The family entered the United States in 2023 through the Biden-era CBP One app and were awaiting their final asylum hearing that was scheduled for later this year, the Mexican American Legislative Caucus said in a news release. The family had been attending immigration hearings and checking in with immigration authorities, as required, when they were detained.
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The three brothers were described as "dedicated student mariachi musicians," according to a GoFundMe page for the family. Both Gámez-Cuéllar and his brother Caleb are members of the McAllen High School Mariachi Oro band, which was invited to Washington, DC, last summer and has won eight state championships.
On March 9, Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat, confirmed that Gámez-Cuéllar's parents and two brothers were released from the Dilley facility. Gámez-Cuéllar was also released from the detention center in Raymondville, according to U.S. Rep. Monica de la Cruz, a Texas Republican.
"Antonio is going home," De la Cruz said in a statement. "The Gámez-Cuéllar family are valued members of our community. I was honored to stand with Antonio and his fellow mariachis when they visited my office last year, and I am honored to stand with him again."
1 / 0Trump second term marked by turbulent moves. See photos
Trump’s second term saw aggressive immigration and trade moves, federal downsizing, and assertive foreign interventions in Venezuela and Iran. President Donald Trump has doubled down on an aggressive immigration agenda, emphasizing record-low levels of illegal border crossings and a sweeping expansion of enforcement. In his February 2026 State of the Union address, Trump highlighted a nine‑month period in which, he claimed, “zero illegal aliens” were admitted into the U.S.—a statement that fact-checkers noted conflated admission with release on parole, though data does show no parole releases during that period.
Lawmakers react to release: 'We are grateful'
The family's detainment sparked bipartisan outrage as lawmakers raised concerns over the Trump administration's contentious immigration enforcement and its tactics.
The teen musicians are part of a growing number of children who have been impacted by immigration enforcement, including 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and a young, deaf child who was deported without his hearing aids.
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Castro announced the release after he visited the Dilley facility, which has been under increased scrutiny for holding immigrant families with children and has faced numerous allegations of inadequate conditions.
"When I returned to the Dilley trailer prison today, I brought my colleagues in Congress to meet with the children and families and to bear witness to their stories," Castro said in a post on X. "We are grateful for the release of the Gámez-Cuéllar family and we will not stop until we #FreeOurChildren. All of them."
Following the release of Gámez-Cuéllar's family, Efrén Olivares, vice president of litigation and legal strategy at the National Immigration Law Center, called the 18-year-old's detention a "cruel and calculated attack against him and his family."
“We are glad that Antonio and his family are reunited, thanks to the courageous activism of their friends and community. Antonio’s case shows us the power we have when we come together to fight injustice," Olivares said in a statement. "As we celebrate Antonio’s release and look forward to his high school graduation, let’s use this energy to fight for the release of other immigrant families held in ICE detention across the country."
Texas Rep. Ramon Romero Jr., chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, said the organization was "relieved that the Gámez-Cuéllar family is returning home."
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"Families who follow the rules and show up to their ICE appointments in good faith should not be punished for doing exactly what the system asks of them," Romero said in a statement.
Other lawmakers of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, composed of members of the Texas House of Representatives, shared similar sentiments. The organization's vice-chair, state Rep. Erin Gámez, said she was praying for the "entire Gámez-Cuéllar family as they endure the pain of unjust separation and detention."
"This family did it the right way entering the country through the proper legal channels and working hard to build a life in pursuit of the American Dream," Gámez said in a statement. "The targeting and detention of legally present individuals and families is inhumane and deeply troubling. Policies that tear families apart rather than support those striving to contribute to our communities must come to an end."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Teenager mariachi brothers, family released from ICE custody in Texas
Source: “AOL Breaking”
