Castro Urges ICE to Release Detained Student
Rep. Joaquin Castro is calling for the release of Michell Germán and her family, who are held at a Texas immigration detention facility.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Immigration
Rep. Joaquin Castro urged ICE to release Michell Germán and her family from detention. The Germán family was transferred to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Dilley, Texas.
Why it matters
The case centers on a student from El Paso whose family remains in immigration custody, drawing attention to the detention of families in the region. Castro's public appeal puts the case before local residents and the wider El Paso community.
Rep. Castro met with the Germán family on Oct. 30 at the Dilley facility, and his office posted the statement on Nov. 4. The source does not say why ICE detained the family or whether a release decision is pending.
The players
Joaquin Castro
Joaquin Castro is a U.S. Representative for Texas's 20th Congressional District who publicly pressed ICE to release the Germán family.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement and detention, which holds the Germán family.
The details
Rep. Castro posted statements on social media and issued a news release calling on ICE to free Michell Germán and her family. He met with the family during a visit to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, where they are detained. Michell is a student at a magnet school in El Paso working toward a cosmetology license, and her younger sister Paola, 11, attends Lamar Elementary.
Timeline
Oct. 30: Rep. Castro met with the Germán family at Dilley.
Nov. 4: Rep. Castro's office posted the statement calling for their release.
Friday: Michell's Senior Night ceremony with teammates carrying her picture.
Roadmap
The Dilley Immigration Processing Center is the facility where the Germán family is now held after their transfer from El Paso. Castro's visit and public appeal add to the scrutiny of how families are detained there.
For El Paso families with relatives in immigration custody, the case shows how a transfer to a distant facility like Dilley can separate a household from local support. Residents with students or family members facing similar detention may need to track congressional offices and legal aid resources in the region.
The takeaway
Cases like the Germán family's show how quickly a local student's life can change after a family detention, and how congressional offices are becoming one of the few public channels families can use. Readers following immigration stories in El Paso should watch for updates from Rep. Castro's office.
Further reading
For more on the policies shaping cases like this, see Immigration coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KVIA.
