Lacking Houston teen situated at immigration facility, household questions HPD

The backstory:

HOUSTON – On Friday afternoon, Emmanuel Gonzalez Garcia’s household held a press convention asking for assist from the neighborhood in finding the 15-year-old. 

Emmanuel was reported lacking by his mom on October 4th, however claims HPD had not reached out to her with any replace on the place he may very well be. 

Shortly after the press convention, HPD referred to as FIEL Houston (the non-profit group representing the household) to say that Emmanuel was being held by the Workplace of Refuge Resettlement. HPD additionally posted that Emmanuel had been situated on social media.

FIEL Houston then shared with Fox 26 that the teenager was in ICE custody. ICE despatched Fox 26 the next in response:

What they’re saying:

FIEL Houston says that Emmanuel remains to be presently being held by the Workplace of Refugee Resettlement, and it’s not identified when or if he may very well be reunited along with his household.

“Shortly after yesterday, we received a name that Emmanuel in reality has been discovered and there’s a second of pleasure adopted by a second of utter misery,” Govt Director of FIEL Houston Cesar Espinosa mentioned. “As a result of he has been discovered, however he has been discovered inside a detention middle.”

Espinosa continues so as to add how the household is undocumented, however is sharing their story due to their fear about Emmanuel and his situation whereas being detained.

“We need to make it very clear that the workplace of refugee resettlement, ORR, could have folks imagine that these are shelters,” Espinosa mentioned. “They don’t seem to be. They’re detention facilities for unaccompanied minors.”

FIEL Houston plans on talking with Mayor Whitmire and Metropolis Council inside Houston Metropolis Corridor to ask why HPD referred to as ICE, regardless of the Mayor’s earlier statements saying Houston police would not talk with them.

“In the meanwhile the place the HPD decides to name ICE, they get ICE concerned,” Espinosa mentioned. “So despite the fact that he won’t have been with them bodily, his case received referred over to ICE and they’re those who took it upon themselves to place Emmanuel in considered one of these shelters.”