AUSTIN, Texas — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified the father of a 5-year-old boy whose detention in Austin drew criticism from U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, telling CBS Austin that the father and son will remain together in federal immigration custody pending removal.
In a statement to CBS Austin Friday, a DHS spokesperson said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Victor Martinez Nieto on Sunday, Aug. 16, during a vehicle stop in Austin.
The agency says Martinez Nieto is a Mexican national who entered the United States illegally near Laredo in March 2022. DHS said he was arrested in Hutto in November of 2025. According to the agency, Martinez Nieto accepted voluntary departure and was removed from the United States in February of 2026…