PEARSALL, Texas –
A U.S. citizen has been released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in Pearsall after nearly a month, confirms attorney Claudia Galan.
18-year-old, Francisco Erwin Galicia was detained June 27 at Customs and Border Protection Checkpoint in Falfurrias, TX.
Galicia’s attorney explained to LOCAL 23 News, the Dallas born teen has lived in Edinburg, TX with his mother and 17-year-old brother Marlon. Francisco, Marlon and two friends were traveling to Houston to impress soccer scouts in efforts to land a scholarship. At the checkpoint, CBP agents asked for documentation that’s where years’ worth of missteps came to an end.
Marlon, who was born in Mexico, did not have documentation to travel. According to the Dallas Morning News, “Francisco didn’t have his U.S. passport but did present CBP with his Texas ID. A Texas ID is obtained with proof of Texas residency, Social Security number and/or U.S. citizenship.
Galan explained the mix-up of documents is presumably from Galan’s mother obtaining a visitors visa from Mexico when he was younger, claiming he was born in Mexico. However, Galan does not understand Francisco being held for more than three weeks when a background check determined he is a U.S. citizen.
Galicia’s brother voluntarily signed a deportation order and is now in Reynosa, MX
