A twenty-year-old musician arrested by federal immigration authorities performed the national anthem on the Fourth of July while detained at a Texas facility, still wearing the traditional performance outfit he was arrested in weeks earlier. The case has sparked a nationwide campaign among fellow musicians demanding his release.

Arrest Following Birthday Party Performance

Hebert Kaleth Ibarra Castro was detained on June 25 outside San Antonio immediately after performing at a birthday celebration. He texted his wife, a U.S. citizen, moments before the arrest saying he had been pulled over. According to Representative Joaquin Castro, who is advocating for his release, the musician was forced to remain in his ornate performance suit for nearly eighteen hours before being allowed to shower and change clothing.

The congressman reported that upon arrival at the South Texas ICE Processing Center, located approximately fifty-five miles from San Antonio, a facility worker allegedly taunted the detained performer with a statement suggesting he would be released if he sang a song. Castro arrived in the United States at age four with his family fleeing violence in Mexico and has lived in the country for sixteen years without incident.

National Campaign Among Musicians

Fellow performers have rallied behind the detained musician, who plays the vihuela with Mariachi Los Galleros de San Antonio. San Antonio musician Anthony Medrano launched a nationwide campaign called “Play a Song for Hebert,” calling on musicians worldwide to post performances demanding his release. This week, mariachi artists posted a video performing the national anthem in response to reports that an ICE agent expressed disbelief that the detained performer would know the song.

The ensemble described their colleague as more than a talented musician, calling him a dedicated performer and hardworking young man who has shared countless performances and memories with the group. The detention center plans to broadcast his Fourth of July performance of the national anthem to detainees throughout housing units at the facility.

Broader Immigration Enforcement Context

The arrest comes amid a government-wide effort by the Trump administration targeting immigrants who have lived in the country for years without incident. Homeland Security issued a statement encouraging individuals to self-deport immediately or face arrest and permanent deportation. Representative Castro has intervened in multiple cases at Texas detention facilities, including the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, where emergency crews have been dispatched nearly a dozen times over recent months for medical emergencies involving children and families, including severe fevers, broken bones, respiratory distress, and seizures.