US EditionTwo teen brothers in Texas mariachi band are released from ICE custody amid bipartisan criticism
The McAllen family sought asylum in 2023 and was detained under current immigration law; bipartisan congressional advocacy led to their release after nearly two weeks in separate ICE facilities.
- On Monday, Antonio Gámez-Cuéllar and his brother Caleb were released from ICE custody and reunited with their parents at a Whataburger in Alice, Texas.
- During a Feb. 25 check-in, ICE arrested the parents; DHS said the G�mez-Cu�llar family entered in 2023 and must be detained while asylum claims proceed.
- Members of Mariachi Oro have national accolades and appearances, including eight state championships and performances at the U.S. Capitol, White House, and Carnegie Hall, with Antonio Gámez-Cuéllar recently first chair trumpet and the group featured in a Netflix documentary.
- U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro and Monica De La Cruz applied bipartisan pressure; Castro said, 'These were upstanding folks who were following the law,' and De La Cruz emphasized, 'This day should not be about politics. What this day is about is about commonsense enforcement policies.'
- Advocates and parents have raised alarms about conditions at Dilley, citing children falling sick and inadequate care, while medical organizations warn detention risks lasting harm and protesters gathered outside El Valle.
38 Articles
38 Articles
A family of Mexican immigrants who entered Texas in search of asylum got approval for “believable fear,” but the situation changed when they were arrested by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE). The three brothers, who work as mariachis, were in the custody of the agency, as were their parents, Emma Guadalupe Cuellar López and Luis Antonio Gámez Martínez. The case generated a strong public reaction, at such a level that they we…
Politicians, organizations react to ICE release of McAllen mariachi family
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Elected officials and nonprofit organizations are responding to the release of a McAllen family previously detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. According to Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, three McAllen mariachi students, who are siblings in the 6th, 9th and 12th grade, were detained by ICE along with their parents, Emma Guadalupe Cuellar Lopez [...]
The release of the Gámez-Cuéllar family came after legislators and civil organizations publicly pressed to review the case
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