ICE detained McAllen mariachi student brothers and their parents at a routine check-in, held them at Dilley for two weeks

On February 25, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained McAllen, Texas mariachi students Antonio and Caleb Gámez-Cuéllar and their younger brother Joshua, along with their parents, during what family members described as a routine immigration check-in. The brothers, competitive mariachi musicians who had performed at student competitions tied to the Mariachi Extravaganza and later at the U.S. Capitol, were taken into custody along with their parents and held at the Dilley detention facility in Dilley, Texas.

Rep. Nanette Barragán, who visited Dilley on a congressional oversight trip, said the family "had passed their credible fear interview and had an outstanding asylum case — they never missed a court date or check-in." The detention drew attention from the McAllen mariachi community and from South Texas political figures across party lines, including Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz, whose district includes McAllen.

Updates

2026-03-09 — Family released after public pressure and congressional oversight visit [1, 2]

ICE released the Gámez-Cuéllar family, roughly two weeks after their detention began, during a visit to Dilley by members of Congress including Reps. Joaquin Castro and Nanette Barragán. Castro, making his third trip to the facility, said conditions there remained poor and described other detained children affected by inadequate food and medical care, including a boy with a swollen stomach from lack of food and a pregnant woman lacking medical care.