SAN ANTONIO – Congressman Joaquin Castro shared the story of a local high school student and father who were picked up by ICE agents while their asylum case plays out.

RELATED | Castro says ICE detained Churchill High student and father as asylum case continues

In a post on X, Castro said Emely Suaza and her father had been released from the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley and reunited with their family. He said Emely had been detained by ICE while on her way to church and that agents instructed her father to pick her up.

According to Castro, when he arrived, he was also taken into custody. Castro said members of the congressional delegation met with Emely during a visit to the facility last week, where she told them she missed her family.

Castro said the pair should not have been detained and pledged to continue advocating for the release of children held in immigration detention.

Emely Charloth Suaza Chambo, 16, who attended Churchill High School, was taken by ICE while on her way to church, Castro shared via X on Wednesday, July 29.

Her father, Fernando Suaza Ortiz, was allegedly told by ICE to come pick her up or they would send her out of state. He was taken into ICE custody when he showed up to pick up his daughter, Castro said.

Ortiz was employed at the Hilton Garden Inn. “Neither has committed a crime. Their asylum case is pending. Now they’re both sitting at the Dilley Trailer Prison,” Castro’s post read in part.

Castro has continued to call for the closing of the ICE detention center in Dilley, Texas, just south of San Antonio.

Emely Suaza and her dad have been released from the Dilley Trailer Prison! I am glad that she is back with her mom, little brothers, and the rest of her family,“ Castro said in a statement. When ICE detained Emely on her way to church, they asked her dad to come pick her up. When he showed up, they locked him up too. Our congressional delegation met with Emely during our visit to Dilley last week. She was depressed and missed her family. They should’ve never been locked up, and we won’t stop until every child is free.