# You kidnapped my son

> ICE separates 11-year-old from father in Texas detention center.
- Title: You kidnapped my son · Mother Jones | Shortify
- Summary: ICE separates 11-year-old from father in Texas detention center. ICE transferred Andrés, an 11-year-old Venezuelan boy with his stepmother, to ORR custody…
- Keywords: ice, andres, luis, mariana, seattle, nfl, veterans, unaccompanied, foster, deportations, refugee, kidnapped
- Source: Mother Jones — https://motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/ice-orr-office-refugee-resettlement-donald-trump-stephen-miller-family-separations-foster-care-deportations
- Author: Samantha Michaels
- Published: 2026-10-05T07:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: ice, or, andres, luis, mariana, seattle, nfl, veterans, unaccompanied, foster, deportations, refugee
## Luis trapped in Texas detention
Luis, a construction worker from Venezuela, was arrested by federal agents outside his home in April 2026, and found himself in the Camp East Montana detention center with his 11-year-old son Andrés.
## Andrés labeled unaccompanied
ICE officers claimed Andrés was unaccompanied despite having a stepmother and father present, placing him in temporary foster care with another Texas family through ORR.
## Family separation
Luis and Andrés were separated after ICE officers took Andrés from his father, who was arrested in 2026, and placed him in ORR custody without his family's consent.
## Orr custody
Andrés was placed in ORR custody, a federal agency within HHS that cares for unaccompanied migrant children, after ICE officers claimed he was unaccompanied.
## Family reunion attempt
Mariana, Andrés' stepmother, tried to become his sponsor but failed due to new ORR requirements, including needing a taxpayer ID number.
## Legal battle
Andrés' lawyer argued he was unlawfully detained because he was never unaccompanied when separated from his father and stepmother.
## Court decision
A federal judge ruled Andrés was unaccompanied now, despite having a stepmother present, because he lacked a parent available to provide care in the United States.
## Voluntary departure
Andrés was granted voluntary departure to Venezuela in July 2026, but faced delays due to the lack of a sponsor and the government's failure to coordinate his return.
## Airport reunion
Andrés arrived in Barcelona, Venezuela, but his mother was not present, and he waited outside the airport until his attorney helped locate her.
## Systemic issue
The Trump administration has been re-referencing children who are already settled in the U.S. as unaccompanied, leading to longer detentions and fewer family reunions.
## Policy impact
Children in ORR custody now face longer stays, increased mental health issues, and barriers to family reunification due to new sponsorship requirements.
## Systemic problem
The system has been criticized for treating children as bait for immigration enforcement, with families unable to reunite due to bureaucratic barriers.
## Long-term consequence
Andrés spent over three months in ORR custody before being allowed to travel to Venezuela, where he was reunited with his mother after a delayed arrival.
## Systemic issue
The Trump administration's policy has led to a record number of children being re-referred to ORR despite having family present, causing trauma and separation.
## Family impact
Luis, Andrés' father, was released from detention in 2026 but had to return to Venezuela, leaving Andrés in foster care without his father.
## Systemic issue
The system has been criticized for failing to protect children from being separated from their families, with the government using them as bait for immigration enforcement.
## Key takeaway

ICE transferred Andrés, an 11-year-old Venezuelan boy with his stepmother, to ORR custody after his father was arrested, claiming he was unaccompanied despite having a parent present.