A five-year-old boy and his father were detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a traffic stop in Austin, Texas, while on their way to a soccer match, leaving the boy's mother distraught. Victor Martinez Nieto and his son, Liam Tadeo, were arrested on 16 August and are now being held at the Dilley Detention Center, according to a family member. The incident has drawn comparisons to a similar case in January involving another five-year-old, and has renewed criticism of ICE's treatment of children caught up in immigration enforcement.

The Department of Homeland Security said Nieto had illegally entered the US near Laredo in March 2022, was previously detained and accepted voluntary departure in November 2025, was removed in February 2026, and then re-entered the country illegally. A relative, Patricia Resendiz, described the detention as cruel and said Liam, who was due to start kindergarten that week, had been left traumatised, launching a GoFundMe for the family. DHS defended the Dilley facility as family-friendly, citing access to teachers and classroom materials, and urged undocumented migrants to self-deport via a government scheme offering $2,600 and a flight home.