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San Antonio Teen and Father Freed From Dilley Immigration Center

Their release follows public pressure and legal questions over how long children can be held under rules that favor the least restrictive settings for minors.

Alejandro Hernandez-Trujillo, right, and his father, Jairo Hernandez Amaya, celebrate a birthday in an undated family photograph shared by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro. The father and son have been detained at ICE's Dilley Immigration Processing Center since May 17, according to Castro's office.
Alejandro Hernandez-Trujillo, and his father, Jairo Hernandez Amaya, pose in an undated family photo shared by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro. Castro is calling for the release of the Churchill High School student from immigration detention in Dilley.
Alejandro Hernandez-Trujillo, a Churchill High School student and San Antonio FC youth academy player, poses in an undated photograph shared by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro as he advocates for the teen's release from immigration detention.
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, is calling on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release a San Antonio teen and his father from the Dilley detention center on June 10, 2026.

Overview

  • The 15-year-old Churchill High student and his father were arrested in San Antonio while traveling to a soccer game and were transferred to the Dilley family detention center on May 17, according to family accounts and official records.
  • Rep. Joaquin Castro inspected Dilley, met the pair during a visit, and publicly pressed ICE for their release after advocates raised concerns about children being held beyond timelines tied to the Flores Settlement Agreement.
  • The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the arrests and identified the father as a Colombian national who entered the United States in 2024 and will face removal proceedings in immigration court.
  • The family’s detention had drawn local attention because the teen missed the end of his sophomore year and his mother reported severe stress and loss of work while she sought their return.
  • Dilley is operated by CoreCivic and is the nation’s largest family immigration detention site, and this case could prompt more legal challenges and congressional oversight over how the government detains families and complies with court limits on child custody.