Texas Mother Deported Days After Complaining About Son's Viral ICE Arrest

A Mexican woman living illegally in Texas has been deported to Mexico just days after she publicly criticized the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency for detaining her 17-year-old son, who is an American citizen. Teresa De Jesus Ochoa Briseno was returned to Mexico on Monday, according to officials.

Ochoa Briseno had spoken out against ICE following the viral arrest of her son, Luis Ochoa, and another teen. A four-minute video captured the detention during a traffic stop on September 11 in Alamo, Texas.

"He is a minor; it's traumatic enough for an adult — for something like this to happen to him is really tough," Ochoa Briseno told KRGV, a local news outlet. "It was eight hours without hearing from him; they wouldn't give me any information - they behaved very badly."

Luis Ochoa accused ICE officers of confronting him and his friend after they stopped to record an ICE operation. He stated that an officer struck his acquaintance and then detained him, claiming he was resisting. "They broke my wrist," Luis Ochoa said.

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson described the teens as "anti-ICE agitators who were attempting to obstruct officers' operation." The spokesperson also stated that two officers required medical attention and that the teens became "verbally and physically combative" when officers attempted to detain them.

DHS confirmed that Ochoa Briseno was an undocumented immigrant who had "repeatedly refused lawful commands" from officers. The spokesperson added that she had been issued a final order of removal. DHS did not directly respond to questions about whether her detention was connected to her public comments.

Ochoa Briseno's attorney expressed skepticism about the timing of her deportation. "That's too big a coincidence to believe that she is detained just a week after her United States citizen child was unlawfully detained and arrested," immigration attorney Carlos M Garcia told KRGV. "In this country we cherish the First Amendment and believe that we have a right to speak out against injustice, but this is a clear message about what the repercussions are for people who decide to speak out."

According to DHS, Ochoa Briseno illegally entered the U.S. by crossing the Rio Grande River around June 2025. She was granted a voluntary return to Mexico on July 13, 2025, but officials stated she later reentered the U.S. illegally at an unknown time.

"Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, if you break the law, you will face the consequences. Illegal aliens are not welcome in the US," the DHS spokesperson said.