José Eliezer Martínez-Andino, a young Honduran immigrant residing in Raleigh, North Carolina, remains detained by federal immigration authorities in Texas despite holding special immigrant juvenile status and an approved judicial order for his return, according to legal representatives and federal records.
The situation began unfolding in the spring when Martínez-Andino was taken into custody during a traffic stop in Montana. According to statements from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and details from his defense team, the vehicle he occupied was flagged for a fraudulent license plate, leading to intervention by local law enforcement and federal border agents. Although he held recognized legal protections, his attorneys report he was subsequently transferred through multiple detention facilities and pressured into signing voluntary departure forms before being flown back to Honduras in April.
Legal advocates successfully petitioned a judge to review the removal, resulting in a judicial order that facilitated his return to the United States in August. However, upon re-entering the country, Martínez-Andino was placed back into custody under the authority of the Border Patrol in Texas, where his legal team continues to pursue avenues for his release and adjustment of status.
Legal Protections and the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
Martínez-Andino arrived in the United States across the southern border in September 2020 at the age of 14. By 2023, an immigration judge granted him Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), a legal classification designed to protect non-citizen minors under the age of 21 who have experienced circumstances such as abuse or neglect by their parents.
In addition to SIJS classification, Martínez-Andino had been granted deferred action, an administrative mechanism. Attorneys representing him note that this status functions as a promise from the government not to make any effort to deport someone while a permanent residency application remains pending.
“Although José had deferred action, the government did not mention this during his detention,” attorney Derrick J. Hensley stated in interviews regarding the initial Montana stop and subsequent transfer. Defense counsel argued that despite holding documents allowing him to contest removal proceedings, federal agents subjected him to pressure that led to the execution of voluntary departure paperwork.
Border Patrol Statements and Current Detention Status
A CBP spokesperson confirmed via email that local sheriff deputies and highway patrol officers stopped the vehicle on March 18 due to a fraudulent license plate, identifying Martínez-Andino as an undocumented national of Honduras who had entered the country illegally.
“An agent of the Border Patrol arrived at the location at the request of the Montana Highway Patrol,” the CBP statement noted, explaining that Martínez-Andino accepted voluntary deportation and was returned to Honduras on April 10 before subsequent legal interventions required his repatriation on August 5.
Ayla Blumenthal, an attorney representing Martínez-Andino, explained that while the new court framework allows for formal defense arguments, the immediate priority remains securing his release from the Texas detention facility.
Defense Strategy and Precedents in Immigration Removal
Legal counsel has outlined a multi-layered approach to secure Martínez-Andino’s freedom and his path toward lawful permanent residency. The defense team plans to request an immediate bond hearing, citing his deferred action status and approved I-360 petition as foundations for release.
“And then, if necessary, we will present a habeas corpus action if we do not succeed with the bond, to fight for his liberation,” Blumenthal stated regarding subsequent legal maneuvers. Attorneys emphasize that without prolonged detention, Martínez-Andino is positioned to finalize his residency status based on his approved juvenile protection petitions.
The case mirrors the removal of Kilmar Ábrego García. Ábrego García, a Salvadoran migrant, was expelled from the country in March 2025 despite an active judicial order preventing his transfer due to safety concerns. That case resulted in his release following administrative errors recognized by authorities under the government of Donald Trump.
As proceedings continue in Texas, attorneys await the scheduling of the next immigration court hearings and bond determinations to resolve Martínez-Andino’s detention status.
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