The return of a 25-year-old native-born American citizen to Texas after four months of deportation to Mexico has drawn national focus to proposed federal legislation barring immigration authorities from detaining U.S. citizens.
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., spoke up regarding the case of Brian José Morales García on X, urging Congress to enact the “Stop ICE from Kidnapping U.S. Citizens Act.”
The legislation aims to prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using federal funds to detain American citizens or transport them outside the country.
READ: ‘Will he even get an internship?’ Indian families voice concerns over rising OPT fees and uncertainty (August 3, 2026)
Morales García was deported following an April traffic stop in Gillespie County, Texas, when the Local police called immigration authorities on him, prompting Morales García to tell federal officials that he was a U.S. citizen born in Colorado and to offer to present his birth certificate.
Despite his statements, the Department of Homeland Security disputed his citizenship and deported him to Mexico.
Border Protection previously disputed his citizenship claim, stating in April that record checks showed Morales García was unlawfully present in the U.S. and that he had admitted to being a Mexican national who entered illegally.
Morales García’s attorney later explained that he made up entry details only after agents repeatedly accused him of lying and threatened him with imprisonment.
“Now that he’s back in the country, our next step is to hold the officer, state and federal responsible for their conduct because nothing is going to change unless ICE and DPS realize, when they abuse somebody or a U.S. citizen, there’s a price to pay,” said Dicky Grigg, a co-counsel representing Morales García.
Months later, he returned to the United States after federal prosecutors accepted documentation submitted by his attorneys, including a certified Colorado birth certificate, hospital delivery records, baptismal certificates, and witness affidavits allowing him to return while his federal lawsuit proceeds.
Jayapal characterized the incident as part of a broader pattern of illegal detentions and removals of citizens during enforcement operations. “This is my client. Thank you for sharing his story. This never should have occurred,” Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, García’s attorney wrote under Jaypal’s X post.
“Brian is just one of several U.S. citizens who have been kidnapped under the guise of immigration enforcement,” Jayapal said. “This needs to stop. Congress must pass my Stop ICE from Kidnapping U.S. Citizens Act to ensure no other citizens have to experience this cruelty.”
READ: Why experts say the $100,000 OPT fee has little chance of surviving (August 11, 2026)
Morales García’s legal team filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and individual officers, seeking monetary damages and an official judicial declaration confirming his U.S. citizenship.
His attorneys noted that while the return offers relief, Morales García continues to experience distress over the ordeal. He now carries multiple forms of identification at all times to avoid similar enforcement actions in the future.
Morales García stated that he intends to resume working and providing for his family in Texas while seeking legal accountability through his ongoing federal case to ensure other citizens do not face similar removals.