Texas 'mariachi brothers' released from ICE custody after lawmakers intervene

article

Gámez-Cuéllar family | Credit: Joaquin Castro

RAYMONDVILLE, Texas - Brothers who were invited to perform mariachi music at the White House last summer are part of a family who's been released from ICE custody in Texas. 

The update comes after community backlash led state lawmakers to step in and assist in their release. 

Texas ‘mariachi brothers’ freed

The latest:

Luis Antonio Gámez, his wife Emma Guadalupe Cuéllar, and their three sons, Antonio, Caleb and Joshua, were released from detention centers in Texas, this week. The family had been detained last month, sending shockwaves through their community. 

The arrests came during a routine check-in with immigration officials on Feb. 25, the Texas Tribune reports, but the Gámez-Cuéllar brothers didn't make headlines until last week, when officials began to lambast immigration efforts that would imprison people who were following procedures. 

The brothers attend school at McAllen ISD. Their mariachi band's assistant director was informed of their check-in, he told the Tribune, but was shocked to hear that they were detained afterward. According to the assistant director, they had "always followed the rules."

Antonio Gámez-Cuéllar (left) | Credit: U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz

Caleb, 14, and Joshua, 12, along with their parents, were taken to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley. Antonio, 18, was taken to the Raymondville facility. U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, a Republican from Edinburg, traveled to the latter facility to see Antonio released earlier this week. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from San Antonio, assisted in the release of the others, along with a congressional delegation. 

The backstory:

The family had entered the country in May 2023 through the CBP One app, a Biden-era application process for asylum seekers, the Tribune reports.

Last summer, the boys' high school's mariachi band were invited to the White House to perform. Lawmakers are questioning why they were considered worth detaining when they were also considered worthy of entertaining the administration. 

Featured

article

'This place broke something in us': Family details life inside Texas ICE detention center

A longing for home and normalcy amongst stories of medical neglect, poor food, abuse and the lack of religious freedom are all themes in letters from an Egyptian family held for months in Texas in the only family facility ran by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

‘Grave injustices’

What they're saying:

"The great irony and hypocrisy here is that these young men were good enough to perform at the United States Capitol building, that they were not considered any kind of security threat to our country," Castro said. "They go from that last summer, less than a year ago, to sitting in a trailer-prison with their parents."

"The Gámez-Cuéllar family never should have been detained in the first place," said Rep. Sylvia Garcia. "I’m relieved they are finally home. Trump said ICE would focus on the ‘worst of the worst.’ Instead they are sweeping up families who followed the rules and belong in our communities. We will keep fighting to stop this abuse."

"I’m relieved the Gámez-Cuéllar family has been released from DHS custody and is on their way home," said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez. "South Texans mobilized quickly and proved that change is within reach as long as we make our voices heard.

"But let’s not forget that this family followed the law and did everything it asked of them. They should have never been detained in the first place, and their situation speaks to the grave injustices this Administration is inflicting on families in South Texas and across the country. Our families are not props for when it’s convenient; if these children were good enough to perform at the U.S. Capitol last year, then they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect in the eyes of the law."