Nonverbal 5-year-old with autism detained for three weeks at ICE facility, released after medical intervention
Mar 24, 2026·Location: Dilley, TX
Country of origin: Colombia

Gael, a nonverbal 5-year-old boy from Colombia with significant developmental delays undergoing autism evaluations, was detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in South Texas for three weeks along with his asylum-seeking parents, Leonardo and Nelsy. The family was arrested on March 3 during an immigration check-in in El Paso. During his confinement, Gael's health deteriorated severely: he struggled to eat, experienced constipation lasting over a week with visible abdominal swelling and pain, and began engaging in self-harm behavior by hitting himself as his distress increased. Before detention, Gael had been receiving therapy in El Paso while the family pursued their asylum case. His attorney, Elora Mukherjee, requested his release on medical grounds after a video call with children's entertainer Ms. Rachel, arranged by a journalist, drew public attention to his condition. The family was released days later and returned to El Paso with required ICE check-ins to continue their asylum proceedings.
Timeline
Sources
More incidents in Texas
- Texas siblings tackled, detained after filming ICE arrest, file damage claimsOct 8, 2026 · Brownsville, TX
- U.S. citizen deported to Mexico after Texas traffic stop, returns nearly five months laterOct 8, 2026 · Fredericksburg, TX
- Texas pastor deported to Ghana, a country he has never visitedOct 6, 2026 · Mesquite, TX
- ICE arrests in Austin area surge over 300% since start of Trump's second termOct 6, 2026 · Austin, TX
- Houston withdraws $150M grant requiring ICE cooperation after public and council backlashOct 5, 2026 · Houston, TX
- ICE agent shoots Venezuelan DoorDash driver in back, leaves him partially paralyzedOct 4, 2026 · Austin, TX