McAllen, Texas, attorney who practices immigration and criminal defense law and is a founding partner of Garcia & Garcia, Attorneys at Law.
Case
ICE arrested and deported Teresa Ochoa Briseño on Sept. 21, five days after she told KRGV justice must be served against the officers involved in her son's arrest. Her son and his attorney allege retaliation for the family speaking out; ICE cites a 2025 removal.
Role at the time: Immigration attorney for Luis Ochoa, speaking to Border Report
Response to this claim
ICE arrested Teresa Ochoa Briseño in retaliation for her family speaking out against ICE raids.
“That’s too big of a coincidence to believe that she is detained just a week after her United States citizen child was unlawfully detained and arrested and so it’s definitely a message. And in this country it’s something very disconcerting. Because in this country we cherish the First Amendment. We believe that we have a right to speak out against injustice. But this is a clear message, in my opinion this is a clear message that ICE is sending about what the repercussions are for people who decide to speak out.”
Garcia says the timing shows the arrest was a message to people who speak out, which criticizes the action as retaliation.
Statement dates: September 21, 2026
Statement dates: September 21, 2026
