London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Apr 03, 2026

Mexico releases Texas woman who tried to deliver Christmas gifts to migrants

Mexico releases Texas woman who tried to deliver Christmas gifts to migrants

Authorities had arrested Anamichelle Castellano, who runs a not-for-profit, after finding ammunition in her car on Monday
A Texas woman has been allowed to leave Mexico after being detained while trying to deliver Christmas gifts to a sprawling refugee camp housing people waiting in limbo at the border for US court dates to deal with their asylum claims.

Anamichelle Castellano said she and another volunteer for her not-for-profit group were stopped Monday at a bridge crossing from Brownsville, Texas, to Matamoros, Mexico.

She said authorities discovered a small box of ammunition inside the car she was driving, which she said was left by her husband.

Mexico has strict laws against entering the country with guns or ammunition. Those laws occasionally ensnare Americans crossing the border.

Castellano said she spent Monday night sleeping on a couch with her nine-year-old daughter in a government office. She gave a statement Tuesday to someone she believed to be a prosecutor, then was allowed to leave a few hours later. The prosecutor’s office in Mexico’s Tamaulipas state did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Castellano and her husband, Jehu, operate a not-for-profit called the Socorro Foundation. They are among the volunteers trying to help thousands of parents and children waiting in Mexican border towns to seek asylum in American immigration courts.

Donald Trump’s administration has prevented many asylum seekers from entering the country or removed them from the US while their cases are still pending under a policy known as “Remain in Mexico.”

“Our faith is very strong,” said her father, Genaro Lopez, on Wednesday. “God didn’t blink. He had a plan.”

Castellano said she and a group of volunteers had worked late into the night to wrap presents for children at the Matamoros camp, which consists of hundreds of tents pitched on the land next to the Rio Grande, the river separating the US and Mexico in Texas.

She said she had car trouble early Monday and ended up driving her husband’s car. Her husband eventually took hers. They split about 300 gifts between the two.

While her husband drove into Matamoros without incident, an official told Castellano her vehicle would require extra screening. When she was told officers would unwrap all the gifts in her vehicle to check them for anything dangerous, she consented to the officers using an X-ray machine to examine the vehicle.

That scan uncovered a small box of ammunition, which she described as about the size of the palm of a hand. Castellano said she didn’t know about the box until the scan and had not intended to take it into Mexico.

She was told conflicting information during the two days about whether she could leave or if she would be imprisoned. She identified officers from at least three different agencies who asked her questions.

Ultimately, she was told that she and the other volunteer could leave if they paid $8,000. The fee was eventually lowered to about $4,000, and her husband paid $3,000.

She was told that she may have to return to see a judge in Reynosa, which she said she would do as soon as a court date was issued.

“I serve refugees,” she said. “To tell me that I can’t go back and give them their gifts and their needed supplies, I can’t risk that.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump’s Strategic Pressure on UK Seen as Push for Stronger Alignment and Fairer Terms
UK Focuses on Trade Finance to Secure Critical Materials for Defence and Energy Sectors
Majority of UK Businesses Hit by Middle East Conflict While Confidence Holds Firm
UK Royal Navy Faces Renewed Scrutiny as Debate Intensifies Over Capability and Readiness
Reform UK Faces Mounting Distractions as Policy Agenda Struggles to Gain Traction
Investigation Launched Into Northern Cyprus IVF Clinics After UK Families Receive Incorrect Sperm
International Meeting Issues Unified Call to Safeguard Navigation Through Strait of Hormuz
Potential Strait of Hormuz Closure Raises Concerns Over UK Food and Medicine Supply Chains
UK Leads Coalition of Over Forty Nations Urging Iran to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
UK Secures Tariff-Free Access for Medicines in Landmark US Pharma Trade Agreement
King Charles III Invited to Address Joint Session of U.S. Congress in Rare Diplomatic Honor
Debate Grows Over Whether Expanded North Sea Drilling Can Reduce UK Energy Bills
UK Faces Heightened Risk of Jet Fuel Shortages, Airline Chief Warns
UK Ends Police Investigations into Lawful Social Media Posts After Review Finds Overreach
Abramovich Moves to Establish Charity for Frozen Chelsea Sale Proceeds Amid UK Dispute
Starmer Reaffirms NATO Commitment While Responding to Trump’s Strategic Critique
UK Aid Reductions Raise Fears of Severe Human Impact Across Parts of Africa
UK Signals Renewed Push for EU Cooperation as Iran Conflict Reshapes Security Landscape
Bank of England Signals Caution as Bailey Advises Markets Against Expecting Rate Hikes
UK to Convene Global Coalition to Restore Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz
Trump Signals Possible NATO Reassessment, Emphasizes Stronger U.S. Strategic Autonomy
Australia Joins British-Led Efforts to Reopen Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating Tensions
King Charles Plans US State Visit as UK Strengthens Ties with Trump Leadership
UK Regulator Launches Investigation Into Microsoft’s Business Software Practices
Kanye West Set for High-Profile Return to UK Stage at Wireless Festival
Trump Presses Europe to Strengthen Commitment as Iran Conflict Escalates
UK to Deploy Additional Troops to Middle East Amid Rising Regional Tensions
UK Authorities Face Claims of Heavy-Handed Measures in Monitoring Released Pro-Palestine Activists
Trump Calls on UK to Secure Its Own Energy as Iran Conflict Intensifies
Nigel Farage Declines Invitation to UK Conservative Conference Led by Liz Truss
Trump Warns Allies to Take Responsibility as Rift Deepens with UK and France Over Iran Conflict
How Britain’s Prime Minister Controls U.S. Bomber Access in Escalating Iran Conflict
Trump Urges Allies to Secure Their Own Oil Supplies as Hormuz Crisis Disrupts Global Energy
Russia Expels British Diplomat as UK Pushes Back Against Pressure
White House App Faces Scrutiny After Claims of Continuous User Location Tracking
BBC Faces Scrutiny Over Allegations of Paid Content Linked to Saudi Arabia
UK-France Coastal Patrol Agreement Nears Breakdown Amid Migration Pressures
UK Police Detain Pro-Palestine Activist Again Weeks After Bail Release
FTSE 100 Advances as Energy and Mining Shares Gain Amid Middle East Tensions
Eli Lilly Seeks UK Pricing Deal to Unlock Renewed Pharmaceutical Investment
Three Arrested in UK After Massive Cocaine Haul Discovered Hidden in Banana Shipment
UK Fuel Prices Poised for Further Surge Amid Global Energy Pressures
Apple Subsidiary Penalized by UK Authorities for Breach of Moscow Sanctions
Western Allies Intensify Coordinated Sanctions Strategy Against Russia
UK Lawmakers Face Criticism Over Renewed Push for Social Media Restrictions
Starmer Signals UK Crackdown on Addictive Social Media Features
Rising Costs Push One in Five UK Hospitality Businesses to the Brink of Closure
Man Arrested on Suspicion of Attempted Murder After Car Strikes Pedestrians in UK, Injuring Seven
Escalating Conflict Involving Iran Tightens Fiscal Pressures and Highlights UK Economic Vulnerabilities
UK Moves to Confront Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Operating in Its Waters
×