Press Releases
Castro, Stanton, Barragán Demand Transparency on DNA Collection of Detained Families at Dilley Detention Facility
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following a congressional oversight visit to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, U.S. Representatives Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), and Nanette Barragán (CA-44) sent a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons demanding answers about the collection and use of DNA from families detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center. “During our visit, we learned that ICE … Continue Reading
June 10, 2026
Castro Statement on San Antonio High School Student Detained in the Dilley Trailer Prison
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement: “Alejandro is a high school student in San Antonio. He was on his way to a soccer game when ICE surrounded his home and took him and his father. They have been locked away for over 3 weeks at the Dilley trailer prison. He missed his last days of 10th grade.“I met with Alejandro at Dilley. He told me how much he misses his mother and was having trouble eating. They are asylum seekers and did … Continue Reading
June 09, 2026
Castro Statement on Final Passage of Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement on the final passage of the reconciliation package that provides the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with $70 billion in funding: “Masked ICE agents have detained, deported, and killed U.S. citizens. They have locked away innocent kids like 5-year-old Liam Ramos. Flush with cash from Republicans in Congress, ICE is ripping apart families … Continue Reading
June 08, 2026
Castro Pushes to End Child Detention and ICE Secrecy in Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) submitted two amendments to the Senate’s $70 billion reconciliation package, to end child detention and to reverse ICE’s policy that makes it harder for Members of Congress to meet with detained individuals. “Under Donald Trump, ICE has become a rogue and abusive agency. Masked agents are brutalizing our communities and locking away our children. ICE has become more secretive and has imposed punitive restrictions on Congressional … Continue Reading
May 27, 2026
Reps. Castro, Barragán, Stanton Inspect Dilley Trailer Prison, Met with Children and Families
DILLEY, TX — Yesterday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), led Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) and Congressman Greg Stanton (AZ-04) on his 6th congressional oversight visit to the Dilley detention center in Southwest Texas this year. During the inspection, ICE outlined the process for collecting DNA samples from detainees upon arrival but could not confirm proper protocols were in place to keep biometric information secure. Then, the members met with mothers, children, and fathers who … Continue Reading
May 20, 2026
CASTRO, KEATING LEAD LEGISLATION CALLING FOR TRANSPARENCY ON TRUMP ADMIN’S DEPORTATION POLICY
Washington, D.C. - Today, Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere Ranking Member Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Subcommittee on Europe Ranking Member Bill Keating (D-MA) introduced legislation to require the Trump administration to disclose all agreements regarding the deportation of third-country nationals to Congress. The Trump administration’s agreements with foreign countries to deport third-country nationals are both opaque and inhumane. Congress, in its oversight role, must do all it can to … Continue Reading
May 14, 2026
Reps. Castro, Yakym Launch Bipartisan U.S.-Mexico Caucus
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro, (D-TX-20), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere and Congressman Rudy Yakym (R-IN-02) launched the bipartisan U.S.-Mexico Caucus. They will lead as co-chairs of the Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, which will focus on strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico and facilitating a dialogue on trade, security and culture. (Left to right: Caucus Co-Chair … Continue Reading
May 14, 2026
Castro Push to Add Texas and Latino Artists to National Recording Registry Lands 3 Additions
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Vice Chair of Diversity and Inclusion for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and longtime advocate for Latino representation in the media, celebrates this morning’s announcement that the Library of Congress has selected three of his nominations for the prestigious National Recording Registry. This year, the Library of Congress inducted “Mambo No. 5” by Pérez Prado (1950), “Texas Flood” by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (1983) … Continue Reading
May 05, 2026
Congressman Castro Leads Group of 30 Lawmakers in Demanding End to Ambiguity in Israel’s Nuclear Capabilities
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, led a group of 30 House Democrats in demanding the U.S. Department of State hold Israel to the same standard as other countries and provide transparency on Israels’ nuclear capabilities, ending decades-long ambiguity. This request, amid the ongoing Iran War, would fulfill Congress’ constitutional responsibility to be fully informed about the nuclear … Continue Reading
April 23, 2026
Castro and Kaine Statement on Guatemala’s Attorney General Selection
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues, released the following statement on Guatemala’s Attorney General Selection: “We are glad to see the Attorney General selection process … Continue Reading
April 22, 2026
Castro, Jayapal, Jackson, Meeks Demand Answers on State Department Obstruction of Oversight in Cuba
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), and Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, are demanding answers from the State Department after Jayapal and Jackson were denied the ability to meet with Chargé d’Affaires Mike Hammer at the U.S. Embassy in Havana during a Congressional delegation. “Congressional delegations … Continue Reading
April 18, 2026
Castro Announces Texas and Latino Artist Nominations for Preservation in the National Recording Registry
SAN ANTONIO, TX — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released his nominations of songs and albums to be considered for the prestigious National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. This year, in addition to his fourth annual call for Latino artists, Castro made an inaugural call for Texas artists and received more than 400 submissions from the public. “Latino and Texas artists have played an important role in contributing to our country’s musical canon,” said Congressman … Continue Reading
April 17, 2026
Castro, Casten, Van Hollen, Kaine Demand Transparency from Trump Administration on United States-Venezuela Energy Deal
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) are demanding transparency from the Trump Administration on its energy deal with Venezuela, an unprecedented attempt to seize control of a sovereign nation’s natural resources. The members are pressing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a full audit of this deal. The lawmakers underscored that President Trump’s … Continue Reading
April 03, 2026
Castro Statement on Trump’s Funding Request for Iran War
SAN ANTONIO, TX — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement: “The president is asking for an extra $350 billion for his reckless war against Iran. “I will vote not to fund this illegal war, and will vote no. “The president started this war under false pretenses and without congressional authorization. He claimed that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States. It didn't. They did not have a weapon that could strike the United States and there was no … Continue Reading
March 27, 2026
Reps. Castro, Kim Advance Bill Out of Committee to Counter China’s Growing Influence
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congresswoman Young Kim’s (CA-40) Securing Partner Supply Chains Act, which helps U.S. allies and partners build the tools to protect their economies from hostile foreign investment, passed out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) with bipartisan support. “The United States has spent decades building robust tools to screen foreign investment for national security risks — but many of our partner countries have not, … Continue Reading
March 24, 2026
Castro, Garcia, Ramirez, Krishnamoorthi Slam ICE for Targeting Dreamers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) are calling out the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the unlawful and targeted arrests of recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), commonly known as Dreamers, under the Trump Administration. In the letter sent to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the members highlight Dreamers’ … Continue Reading
February 28, 2026
Castro Statement on Iran Strikes
San Antonio, TX — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement: “Rather than making life affordable for American families, the President has decided to drag our country into yet another war in the Middle East. “For 25 years, a generation of American servicemembers and their families have sacrificed in pursuit of regime change wars in the Middle East. Successive Presidents have tried to use military force to remake societies in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, … Continue Reading
February 27, 2026
Congressman Castro Demands Full Disclosure from ICE and Texas DPS Regarding Fatal Shooting of U.S. Citizen Ruben Ray Martinez
For Nearly a Year, ICE and DPS Concealed an ICE Shooting That Left 23-Year-Old Ruben Dead in South Padre Island, Texas WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a new letter, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) demanded full disclosure from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) related to the shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez on March 25, 2025—the first publicly known instance of an ICE agent fatally shooting a U.S. citizen during the second Trump … Continue Reading
February 24, 2026
Congressman Castro Announces SOTU Guest Dr. Anita K. Patel, MD to Highlight Harms of ICE Detaining Children
Dr. Anita K. Patel, MD Will Highlight Concerning Medical Conditions in ICE Detention Centers and the Right to Quality Medical Care WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that his guest for the president’s 2026 State of the Union address will be Dr. Anita K. Patel, MD, critical care specialist and associate professor of pediatrics in Washington, D.C. With over 16 years of experience, Dr. Patel has advocated for delivering adequate treatment, recommendations and … Continue Reading
February 24, 2026
Castro Statement on President Trump’s State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement: “Tonight, President Trump boasted of a booming economy while families struggle to afford healthcare, childcare, rent, and groceries. He spoke of promoting peace while fanning the flames of conflict in Venezuela, Mexico, and Iran. He touted deporting criminals while ICE agents are targeting U.S. citizens on our streets and locking babies and children away in trailer prisons. This administration has … Continue Reading