Immigration Detention: Mother Reunited After 8 Weeks

Adela Castellanos spent more than eight weeks in the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas before being released to her family on the evening of Friday, October 30. Her attorneys, Corey Martin and Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, confirmed that Castellanos returned home to San Antonio to reunite with her children.

The detention began on August 27, when San Antonio police officers arrived at the family’s residence and took Castellanos into custody. She was subsequently transferred to the Dilley facility. At the time of her arrest, Castellanos was one month postpartum, having just given birth to her fourth child, William.

Castellanos, who is from Honduras, had three other children: Haron, age four; Sofía, age ten; and Valery, age six. Valery and her siblings remained in the care of Castellanos’ partner, William Cruz, following the arrest. Sofía, who is not a U.S. citizen, was held in the same detention center as her mother, while the other three children stayed in San Antonio.

In the two months following Castellanos’ detention, six-year-old Valery memorized her mother’s alien number to maintain a sense of connection. The child wrote the number on a piece of paper accompanied by the phrase, “I love you, mom.” Valery also adopted a new morning routine, waking early to style her hair in front of a mirror before attending school, a habit developed during her mother’s absence.

William Cruz, Castellanos’ partner, stated in an interview that Castellanos experienced a postpartum crisis while in custody. He noted that she did not receive adequate medical attention for these issues. Although the family was permitted to visit periodically, Cruz described the process as a difficult experience that placed the household in a challenging situation.

The release marks the end of Castellanos’ time in federal custody. She is now back in her home in San Antonio with her four children. The legal team representing the family has confirmed the reunion.