Texas immigration authorities released two young Mexican mariachis and their family after nearly two weeks in detention centers. Brothers Antonio and Caleb Gámez-Cuéllar, from San Luis Potosí, were arrested in February along with their parents and younger brother. Lawmakers from both parties celebrated the release and called for further action.
Antonio Yesayahu Gámez-Cuéllar, 18, and Caleb Gámez-Culler, 14, are students and talented musicians who were part of the state award-winning group Mariachi McAllen Oro. The family, from San Luis Potosí and in the United States since 2023, entered legally through the Biden administration's CBP One app, which allowed asylum seekers to schedule border appointments.
They were arrested in late February during an ICE check-in appointment. The family was sent to the Dilley detention center near San Antonio, while Antonio was separated and transferred to Raymondville in southern Texas. These facilities have faced complaints over inadequate conditions, including lack of medical care, education for minors, and poor food and water, according to immigration lawyers.
Lawmakers including Democrat Joaquín Castro and Republican Mónica de la Cruz intervened. Castro visited Dilley and posted on X: “How is it possible that these two young men were good enough to perform at the Capitol and visit the White House, and yet the government has them detained in a jail in Texas?”. De la Cruz contacted the White House and Department of Homeland Security.
The release took place on March 9, as announced by Castro and De la Cruz. Castro added: “We are grateful for the release of the Gámez-Cuéllar family and we will not rest until all are freed”. Under the Trump administration, detentions hit records, with over 73,000 migrants held in January, the highest since 2001, and a rise in child arrests.
