Overview

• HPD says officers found Emmanuel Gonzalez-Garcia on Oct. 5 during a welfare check and, after failing to identify family contacts, sought help from ICE, which says it assisted in placing him with HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement.
• ICE said the teen was never in its custody, while ORR classified him as an unaccompanied minor and took him to an undisclosed shelter location.
• Because his mother is not a U.S. citizen, she cannot immediately regain custody and must secure a U.S.-based sponsor, a process advocates say could take weeks or longer.
• The family has had one 30-minute video call in which Emmanuel appeared frightened, and advocates report they have been denied information about his exact location or services.
• FIEL Houston questions why ICE was contacted in a missing-child case and plans to press city leaders for answers on Tuesday as it explores legal options for reunification.