Three young mariachi brothers who performed at a congressional event last year are in detainment as of last week, sparking outrage from the community and Texas elected officials, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained the McAllen-based Gámez-Cuéllar brothers — Antonio (18), Caleb (14) and Joshua (12) — and their parents after “what relatives describe as a routine ICE appointment in Edinburg, Texas,” according to the Express-News.
Caleb, Joshua and their parents are in the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, which roughly sits between San Antonio and Laredo. Antonio, who’d turned 18 weeks prior to the detainment, was transferred to the El Valle Detention Facility in Raymondville, which is close to the Texas-Mexico border.
The Gámez-Cuéllar boys “are stars in McAllen’s school mariachi programs,” the Express-News reported, with the older two playing for McAllen High School’s Mariachi Oro and the youngest playing in Travis Middle School’s mariachi program.
According to the Express-News, the brothers and their parents entered the U.S. in May 2023 through CBP One, a Customs and Border Protection mobile app for asylum seekers now known as CBP Home. The family “passed a credible fear screening, and began the asylum process,” which included nearly two years of hearings and check-ins with ICE. A final hearing was set for this September.
“The entire Gámez-Cuéllar family did everything the right way,” Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said in an X post. “ICE detained them anyway, sending the two youngest boys and their parents to the Dilley trailer prison. The oldest, 18-year old Antonio, was sent to an adult facility. ICE is ripping apart families.”
On June 10, Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz of Texas’ 15th Congressional District applauded Mariachi Oro’s achievements on the U.S. House floor, and a post from the music group’s Instagram thanked De La Cruz “for the special invitation and recognition.” Mariachi Oro also performed at De La Cruz’s congressional Texas Tea event that same day.
De La Cruz said on X that she’s “been in close communication with DHS, ICE, Border Patrol and community stakeholders regarding the Gámez-Cuéllar family.” She also said her office asked for a visit to the Raymondville facility.
“The Gamez-Cuellar family’s story breaks my heart,” De La Cruz said in an additional post to Facebook. “South Texans know better than anyone that we can secure our border and still treat people with dignity — these are not competing values. I have repeatedly urged that enforcement target those who actually threaten our communities, not good, law-abiding, talented people who are working through the legal process.”
Castro said he will visit the Dilley facility on Monday and condemned De La Cruz.
“Where is their Congresswoman now?” Castro said on X. “How are they good enough, safe enough, excellent enough to perform at the Capitol and visit the White House but still deserve to be locked up at Dilley?”