HOUSTON — A 15-year-old Houston teen with autism is starting a new chapter after being released from federal custody and enrolling in school. Emmanuel González Garcia’s 48-day detention sparked citywide concern and heated debates at Houston City Council meetings.
According to Houston city council memeber Edward Pollard, the school provides an inclusive learning environment tailored to his educational needs.
Emmanuel went missing on Oct. 4 while his mother was at work. After being picked up by police, he was transferred to federal authorities and placed in the Office of Refugee Resettlement, a facility intended for unaccompanied minors, despite having a mother actively searching for him in Houston.
The case raised questions about protocol and led to tense discussions between city leaders, the mayor, and the police chief over why Emmanuel was placed in federal custody.
After Emmanuel’s weeks-long stay in the federal detention facility for minors, a federal judge ruled he was not an unaccompanied minor and ordered his immediate release.
Pollard’s office worked with partners, including FIEL Houston and Houston ISD, to secure Emmanuel’s school enrollment and stable housing. Emmanuel and his mother have since moved into a new apartment in Gulfton.
“This outcome shows what’s possible when the community comes together to protect our most vulnerable residents,” Pollard said.
While grateful for the support, Emmanuel’s mother said the system failed her disabled child and expressed distrust in authorities. The family’s attorney says legal options are being explored as their immigration status remains uncertain.
For now, Emmanuel is home, back in school, and surrounded by community support.