{"id":197488,"date":"2026-03-10T01:03:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T01:03:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/197488\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T01:03:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T01:03:10","slug":"mcallen-mariachi-family-released-from-detention-during-visit-from-san-antonio-rep-joaquin-castro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/197488\/","title":{"rendered":"McAllen mariachi family released from detention during visit from San Antonio Rep. Joaquin Castro"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The G\u00e1mez-Cu\u00e9llar family was released during a visit from San Antonio Congressman Joaquin Castro and other Democratic lawmakers from around the country. Credit: Instagram \/ Joaquin Castro<\/p>\n

An immigrant family detained since late February despite the musical accomplishments of their mariachi sons was released Monday from a South Texas lockup during a visit from San Antonio U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro and other Democratic lawmakers.<\/p>\n

The congressional representatives who accompanied Castro on his visit to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley included Minority Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts along with democratic U.S. Reps. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania and Nanette Barrag\u00e1n, Julia Brownley, and Sara Jacobs of California.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe G\u00e1mez-Cu\u00e9llar family should never have been sitting in the Dilley trailer prison,\u201d Castro said at a press conference at San Antonio City Hall following the visit to the detention center an hour southwest of town. \u201cTheir story underlies the cruelty, irony and hypocrisy of the Trump administration\u2019s mass deportation policy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Antonio Yesayahu G\u00e1mez-Cu\u00e9llar, 18, was detained separately from the family at El Valle Detention Center in Raymondville, about two hours away. <\/p>\n

Monica De La Cruz, a Republican who represents the G\u00e1mez-Cu\u00e9llar\u2019s hometown of McAllen, said in a series of Facebook posts that she\u2019s been asking federal officials for the family\u2019s release. Cruz said she was in touch with the White House, incoming Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and the office of the Border Czar Tom Homan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have been praying for their family over the last couple of days, and thankfully, he is now beside me and is going home to his family and friends who love him and miss him dearly,\u201d De La Cruz\u00a0said at a press conference outside the Raymondville facility, the Express-News reports.<\/a> \u201cI want to say this: This day should not be about politics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cruz is an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump and voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill last summer, which allocated an additional $170 billion to the Department of Homeland Security including $75 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That money is funding the rapid expansion of immigrant detention centers nationwide.<\/p>\n

\"\"U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz poses with President Donald Trump during his March 6 Texas visit. Credit: Facebook \/ Monica De La Cruz<\/p>\n

Castro avoided speaking directly about his Republican colleague at the press conference. However, Representative Barrag\u00e1n said in an Instagram video<\/a> following the visit that she\u2019d asked the G\u00e1mez-Cu\u00e9llar family if De La Cruz had done anything to help them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey specifically said \u2018no,\u2019 Barrag\u00e1n said.<\/p>\n

The rest of the family was released from Dilley while the congressional representatives visited the facility.<\/p>\n

The G\u00e1mez-Cu\u00e9llar family was detained at an ICE check-in appointment on Feb. 25. They crossed the border from Mexico legally in 2023 to seek asylum after father Lu\u00eds Antonio Mart\u00ednez had reportedly been kidnapped by cartel members.<\/p>\n

The sons have received numerous honors for their musical abilities since relocating to Texas. Nine months ago, Antonio Yesayahu G\u00e1mez-Cu\u00e9llar, 18, and Caleb G\u00e1mez-Cu\u00e9llar, 14, were honored in Washington D.C. for winning a statewide mariachi competition in Texas.<\/p>\n

\"\"Congressman Joaquin Castro speaks at a press conference at City Hall following a March 9 visit to Dilley\u2019s South Texas Family Residential Center. Credit: Stephanie Koithan<\/p>\n

\u201cThe great irony and hypocrisy is that these young men were good enough to perform at the United States Capitol Building. That they were not considered any kind of a security threat to our country,\u201d Castro said at the City Hall press conference, joined by advocacy group Forward.Us, some of the Congressional representatives and San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones. \u201cAnd they go from that last summer \u2014 less than a year ago \u2014 to sitting in a trailer prison.\u201d<\/p>\n

Antonio G\u00e1mez-Cu\u00e9llar is a high school senior and first-chair mariachi trumpet for the entire state of Texas.\u00a0Because he\u2019s 18, he was separated from the rest of his family and detained in Raymondville. Castro said the young man\u2019s father began crying as he described the sight of his teenage son being shackled on his arms and legs and led away by federal agents. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey felt like their sons had been used in a way because they had gone out to the Capitol to perform in front of Congress, and at the same time they felt like this was a statement, that they were somehow not good enough,\u201d Castro said.<\/p>\n

A national outcry for the family\u2019s release erupted over the weekend following news reports of their arrest and detention.<\/p>\n

As of Monday afternoon, the family has been reunited and returned to their home in McAllen while their immigration case moves forward.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"McAllen\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tTwo of the sons were celebrated in Washington, D.C., last year after winning a statewide mariachi competition. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Texas\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t \u2018Despite her removal, Trump\u2019s cruel mass deportation campaign rages on,\u2019 Rep. Joaquin Castro said. \u2018The Congress must hold her and her successor accountable.\u2019\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"ICE\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe Washington Post reported that a document was distributed to ICE staff indicating the agency was drafting a letter to potentially terminate the facility\u2019s $1.2 billion contract.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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