Emmanuel stood with his mother, Maria, and sister, Angela, as he spoke to all who followed his story.
HOUSTON — For the first time, a teenager held in federal custody for more than a month spoke out publicly.
Emmanuel Garcia and his family held a press conference at Rep. Al Green’s office.
Emmanuel stood with his mother, Maria, and sister, Angela, as he spoke to all who followed his story.
“Thank you very much for your support and for helping me,” Raed Gonzalez, with Gonzalez Olivieri LLC, said.
The teenager’s case has been getting news coverage since early October, when he went missing while Maria was working. She reported him missing.
Emmanuel was picked up by police, and city officials said the name in the report didn’t match the name given.
So, Emmanuel was turned over to the Office of Refugee Resettlement for unaccompanied minors.
They said, “As a matter of policy, to protect the privacy and security of unaccompanied alien children referred to us, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a program office of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), does not comment on specific cases.”
The family’s legal team then filed a federal lawsuit to get Emmanuel back to his mother.
“Our federal lawsuit was essentially just, um, alleging that in order for them to keep Emmanuel in custody, he had to be what is called an unaccompanied child, and by all accounts, they did not meet that criteria,” Frances Bourliot, with Gonzalez Olivieri LLC, said.
On Friday, a judge ruled in the family’s favor, and that led to Emmanuel being released to his mother after 48 days.
“It has been really great. We’ve been spending a lot of time together,” Gonzalez interpreted for Maria.
Green hosted the latest press conference.
“I have worked very closely with the family and with the lawyers, uh, all of the external forces they have had contact with,” Green said.
Speaking with us one-on-one in his office, Green explained what Emmanuel’s case means to him.
“There have been so many people, not just here in Houston, not just in Texas, but nationwide, closely watching what was going to happen, the developments with Emanuel and his case. What message does his release send to the nation?” KHOU 11 Reporter Amanda Henderson asked.
“There is hope. I don’t want anyone to believe that if you are suffering an injustice that you cannot get justice,” Green said.
The Garcia family said they are thankful to be reunited and together ahead of the holidays.
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