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Hebert Kaleth Ibarra Castro, the 20-year-old whose arrest by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sparked a wave of solidarity in the United States, regained his freedom this past Saturday, July 11, after spending 16 days detained at the Pearsall detention center in Texas.
Known as "El Niño" and a member of the group Mariachi Los Galleros de San Antonio, Ibarra Castro was arrested on June 25 in China Grove while returning home after entertaining at a birthday party. He was still wearing his charro suit when he was intercepted by the authorities.
Her release was made possible after an immigration judge granted her a bond of $15,000 earlier last week, reported Univision.
Upon exiting the detention center, the young man spoke for the first time about the days he spent in ICE custody.
"A lot of anxiety. I had a lot of anxiety, a lot of fear, as I said. I didn't have a chance to talk to anyone. Obviously, I have more cuts and everything, and we don't know what's going to happen, but for now, we have to give thanks to God," she stated.
He also recalled the fear he felt during the arrest.
"I was very nervous, very scared. My wife was at school at that time, and I felt very, very anxious," he recounted.
The case gained national attention after Ibarra Castro reported that several ICE agents mocked him for wearing a mariachi suit.
"When they stopped me in my mariachi suit, many of the officers were mocking me. By the time they saw me get out of the car, they were laughing at me," he stated in an interview with N+ Univision San Antonio.
According to his testimony, some officers jokingly commented that they "caught a mariachi," while one of them told him that if he wanted to leave, he "just had to sing them a song," he added in a conversation with Telemundo.
The arrest occurred following a traffic violation. According to authorities, the young man was driving at 69 miles per hour in a zone with a limit of 50. Upon presenting a Mexican driver's license, the China Grove Police notified ICE, whose agents concluded that he had allegedly entered the country without inspection.
Ibarra Castro arrived in the United States when he was just four years old, after his family fled violence in Mexico. He graduated from Fox Tech High School in San Antonio, and in August 2025, he married Marisol Pantoja, a U.S. citizen.
His arrest occurred just one day after his immigration lawyer, Lance Curtright, submitted the documentation to apply for his permanent residency based on marriage.
Upon leaving the detention center, the young man was welcomed with hugs by his wife, family, and members of the mariachi community in San Antonio.
"I feel very fortunate and grateful. More than anything, I feel very happy to be able to be free," he declared.
The case also prompted the intervention of Democratic Congressman from Texas Joaquín Castro, who publicly called for his release and asserted that the musician "deserves a fair chance to achieve the American Dream." The legislator took the opportunity to reiterate his criticisms of the mass deportation policy promoted by President Donald Trump.
The young man's mother, who requested to remain anonymous, explained that the family left Mexico after experiencing a series of kidnappings and murders of relatives, including a 16-year-old niece.
"I fear for my son's life if he returns. What is he going back to? To have him killed?" he stated.
Although he is now free, Ibarra Castro's immigration process is still ongoing. His lawyer is hopeful that the next step will be the hearing to assess the residency application submitted by his wife.
"Let's hope that happens in the coming months, and assuming everything goes well, you will receive your legal permanent residency," Curtright stated.
The case of the young mariachi has once again highlighted the tightening of immigration policy in the United States. According to recent data, ICE arrests of individuals with no criminal records have increased by 770% since the implementation of the new guidelines under the Trump administration.
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