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Autistic 16-year-old detained by ICE for 50 days after police encounter, judge orders release

Nov 20, 2025·Location: Houston, TX

Country of origin: Honduras

Autistic 16-year-old detained by ICE for 50 days after police encounter, judge orders release
Photo via Instagram

Emmanuel Gonzalez-Garcia, a 16-year-old with autism, was separated from his mother Maria Garcia on October 4-5, 2025, while they were selling fruit as street vendors in Houston. After going missing, he was located by firefighters during a welfare check and told police he was homeless, providing a different name. Houston police turned him over to ICE, and he was placed in federal custody with the Office of Refugee Resettlement as an unaccompanied immigrant minor. After approximately 48-50 days in detention, a federal judge ruled that authorities lacked legal authority to detain him since he was not truly unaccompanied. He was reunited with his mother, though their immigration court cases remain pending.

Timeline

Nov 20, 2025—Federal judge ruled detention unlawful and ordered release after approximately 48-50 days; reunited with mother Maria Garcia
Oct 5, 2025—Located by firefighters during welfare check; told police he was homeless and gave different name; Houston police turned him over to ICE
Oct 5, 2025—Placed in federal custody with Office of Refugee Resettlement as unaccompanied immigrant minor
Oct 4, 2025—Emmanuel Gonzalez-Garcia went missing while selling fruit with his mother in northwest Houston
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