ICE deports 5-year-old US citizen from Texas to Honduras, group says

A Central Texas mother and her 5-year-old daughter, a U.S. citizen, have reportedly been deported this week by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE). This comes less than a week after the pair were arrested by ICE agents after the Austin Police Department (APD) officers notified federal agents.

In an update, Austin-based advocacy group Grassroots Leadership said 5-year-old Génesis Ester Gutiérrez Castellanos and her mother, Karen, were deported to Honduras on Sunday, January 11. The group explained that Karen called their family Sunday afternoon and informed them that she, along, with her daughter were in Honduras.

Both Karen and her daughter were placed in a hotel in San Antonio while they waited to be deported, and that she was instructed not to share their location with anyone in order to avoid alerting community and media outlets, according to Grassroots Leadership.

"The family is devastated now that they are separated by a cruel immigrant system bent on ripping families apart," the group said in an Instagram post. "The community is also grieving their loss."

On Monday, January 5, APD officers responded to a disturbance call at 4:35 a.m. in the 6100 block of Blue Stem Trail, a West Oak Hill Austin neighborhood, according to a statement from police. Although they found no ongoing disturbance, officers identified a woman with an Administrative Warrant issued by ICE.

APD officers notified ICE, under its Detainer Request policy, GO 318.3.4, and federal authorities arrived and took custody of the woman and her child. The incident caused many Austin community members to question APD's involvement in ICE cases as fears of heightened federal immigration operations continue to ramp up across Texas and the U.S.

"Given APD's role in the separation of Génesis and her family, the Austin community deserves immediate transparency from the Austin Police Department," the group said.

According to KUT reporting, Austin police officers have reported dozens of people with similar warrants to ICE since President Donald Trump started his second term, city records show.

In a statement to MySA, APD Chief Lisa Davis said, "Austin Police remains consistent in its message: APD does not proactively engage in initiatives with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and immigration status is not a priority when responding to calls for service."

"Our responsibility is, and will always be, the safety and well-being of every member of our community," Davis said. "There are, however, circumstances in which APD is legally required by state law to assist ICE when formally called upon."

Davis went on to explain that Senate Bill 4 (SB 4) significantly limits the ability of Texas cities and other covered entities to prohibit or restrict law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. However, it also requires state and local law enforcement officers to comply with federal immigration detainer requests.
 
While APD’s current "General Orders" include guidance related to "Requests for Assistance from Federal Immigration Official" and "ICE Detainer Requests," Davis said there is no specific section addressing "Administrative Warrants," a new type of warrant issued by ICE.
 
She added that APD is actively reviewing its General Orders and will update policy to provide clearer guidance for officers and supervisors on the handling of administrative warrants. Davis concluded that this effort "is focused on ensuring consistency, legal compliance, transparency and accountability across the department."

"While federal and state legal mandates guide certain actions, they do not lessen our responsibility to serve with professionalism, compassion, and respect for the dignity of every individual we encounter," Davis said. "We recognize the concern, uncertainty, and fear that these situations can create within our community. APD remains committed to open dialogue, thoughtful policy development, and meaningful engagement, within the rule of law and the core values of the City of Austin."

MySA reached out to ICE and Grassroots Leadership for comment.