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Father and 5-year-old son detained at traffic stop, deported together to Mexico

Aug 25, 2026·Location: Austin, TX

Country of origin: Mexico

Father and 5-year-old son detained at traffic stop, deported together to Mexico
Photo via statesman.com

Victor Martinez Nieto and his 5-year-old son, Liam Tadeo, were detained by ICE agents during a traffic stop in North Austin on August 16, 2026, while driving to a children's soccer game. Video showed Liam crying and clutching his handcuffed father's hands; a family spokesperson said Liam had been due to start kindergarten that week. The two were held together at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, where attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch said officials denied requests to release Liam to his mother in Austin rather than risk him being placed alone in Office of Refugee Resettlement custody. DHS said Martinez Nieto had entered near Laredo in 2022, was arrested in November 2025, and had reentered after a prior deportation. Lawmakers Joaquin Castro, Greg Casar, and James Talarico called for the pair's release and for Dilley's closure, with Castro denied a facility visit. Martinez Nieto agreed to depart voluntarily with his son, and the two were deported to Mexico, reuniting with relatives with help from the Mexican Consulate, while Liam's mother sought ways to reunite with him.

Timeline

Aug 25, 2026—Martinez Nieto agreed to voluntary departure with Liam; both deported to Mexico and reunited with relatives with assistance from the Mexican Consulate
Aug 16, 2026—Victor Martinez Nieto and his son Liam Tadeo detained by ICE during a traffic stop in North Austin while heading to a soccer game
Aug 16, 2026—Pair held together at the Dilley family detention facility in South Texas; video of detention circulated publicly
Aug 16, 2026—Lawmakers including Greg Casar, Joaquin Castro, and James Talarico called for Liam's release; Castro denied a visit to the facility
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