A federal judge has mandated the release of a family from Alamo Heights who were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Dilley Detention Center. This ruling came on May 13, following weeks of advocacy from Texas lawmakers urging for the family’s freedom.
The family, consisting of a Venezuelan woman named Maria Uzcategui-Castillo and her two stepchildren, was apprehended by ICE agents on April 27 while walking to their school bus stop in the morning.
According to the family’s attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, a habeas petition was submitted to challenge the legality of the family’s detention. Judge Garcia concluded that there was insufficient justification to continue holding them.
Following the judge’s decision, Lincoln-Goldfinch confirmed that the family would be released and will proceed with their asylum application while awaiting the next hearing in their case.
Efforts to obtain a statement from ICE regarding the family’s detention have so far been unsuccessful.
