Texas Mariachi Brothers Detained by ICE to Open for Kacey Musgraves in Texas

The Gamez-Cuellar brothers—Antonio, 18, Caleb, 14, and Joshua, 12—are about to share the stage with music superstar Kacey Musgraves at Gruene Hall in Texas. But their journey to this moment is far from ordinary. Earlier this year, the three teens were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) alongside their parents during what should have been a routine immigration check-in.

Caleb and Joshua were held at the South Texas Residential Center in Dilley, while Antonio was detained at the Raymondville facility. The family was confined for two weeks in these migrant detention centers before their release. They originally entered the United States in May 2023 through the Biden administration’s CBP One app, an official process for asylum seekers.

Their detention starkly contrasts with their prior recognition: last summer, the brothers’ high school mariachi band was invited to perform at the White House. As Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro pointed out, these young men were deemed safe enough to perform at the nation’s Capitol but were then locked up in what Castro called “trailer-prisons” with their parents less than a year later.

This glaring contradiction highlights the ongoing inhumanity of ICE’s detention practices, especially against families and children who pose no security risk. The Gamez-Cuellar brothers’ story is a powerful reminder of the human cost behind America’s immigration enforcement policies.

Now, as they prepare to open for Kacey Musgraves’ shows from May 3 to 5, the brothers are reclaiming their voice and spotlight. Their music and resilience defy the cruelty of a system that too often punishes the innocent.

For more details on their upcoming performances, visit Kacey Musgraves’ social media and ticket outlets. Meanwhile, their story demands continued scrutiny of ICE’s detention centers and the broader immigration policies that tear families apart while ignoring talent and humanity.