Mariachi father detained by ICE awaits final court hearing
For one South Texas family, immigration enforcement is not just a story seen on the news; it is a reality that has shaken up every member of the family.
On Aug. 15, Juan Contador was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a traffic stop in Harlingen, according to his daughter, Keyla Contador. He now awaits his final court hearing Monday.
Keyla, a former UTRGV student who transferred to The King’s University in Southlake, Texas, described her father as the person who has always supported and protected their family.
Juan Contador is the father of four: Keyla, Jacob, Arissa (currently enrolled at UTRGV) and Alison. Their family is also involved in music and community activities through Mariachi Contador, a Christian music ministry the father helped establish.
UTRGV political science assistant professor Alvaro Corral told Pulse oftentimes what ICE will do is find some order of removal, even if it was years ago, to detain and potentially deport people.
“The moment that someone has the slightest blemish on their record … it starts to get really tricky,” Corral said.
Corral said “sympathy cases” may gain more popularity and a faster resolution. He gave the example of the momentary detention of Sister Leticia, who was briefly detained by ICE agents while walking to Sunday Mass in June in McAllen.
“In my personal opinion a lot of folks are deserving of grace and sympathy,” Corral said. “But, unfortunately, that’s not the way politics works.”
According to Keyla, her father first entered the U.S. without inspection in 1996. In 1998, he met her mother, who he eventually married and built a family with.
In 1999, Juan returned to Mexico after learning that his mother was seriously ill. When he attempted to return to the U.S., Border Patrol apprehended him, and he agreed to return to Mexico.
He later came back to the U.S. and continued building his life with his family.
In 2021, Keyla filed an immigration petition for her father. She said he received a Social Security number and a work permit valid until 2029. However, his petition was denied in 2024 because of his immigration history and unlawful presence in the country, according to Keyla.
The Contador family contacted elected officials but no action was taken.
Corral said Congress and elected officials may not be able to do anything if someone is already detained and in federal custody.
However, he said he does recommend contacting U.S. members of Congress or senators rather than Texas representatives because state officials are limited in their jurisdiction.
Keyla said her father has no criminal record in the U.S. or Mexico. His family has been trying to navigate the immigration process following his detention.
“He’s our best friend. He’s our protector. He’s our provider,” Keyla said.
She said her father is a peaceful and humble person who dedicated his life to his family, faith and community.
In a recent Instagram post, @mariachicontador shared steps community members can take to advocate for Juan’s release.
The post asks supporters to contact their local U.S. representatives, including Monica De La Cruz (District 15), Vicente Gonzalez (District 34) and Henry Cuellar (District 29), and request that they urge the Department of Homeland Security to review his case.`
–Fatima Cazares contributed to this report.
