The drummer of the Texas band Buffalo Lord, who is a green cardholder, was taken off a flight by federal immigration authorities on Monday, just before the band was set to leave for a European tour.
Members of the heavy Americana band were held at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials. They claimed to have an arrest warrant after the drummer was allegedly found to have violated a restraining order more than once, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
In Texas, repeated violations of such an order could potentially result in felony charges.
The agency noted that Yamaru identified as a Mexican national and lawful permanent resident of the U.S., indicating they would update the public on the situation.
“After breaching the detention order at least twice, a warrant was issued. If you break the law in our country, you face consequences. He was apprehended by the CBP just as he was about to leave the U.S. and was handed over to local authorities,” a CBP representative said.
The specific details of the protective order remain unclear, but the drummer is currently being held at the Tarrant County Correction Center.
Yamaru mentioned that he moved to the U.S. in the 1980s following a devastating earthquake in Mexico City. He has served as the band’s drummer for eight years and also teaches music at the Texas School for the Blind in Austin.
A school administrator described him as “a highly respected and long-term member of our community.”
After the incident, the band announced on social media that they would cancel their tour. “We appreciate the overwhelming support from everyone. We don’t know much yet, but we are asked by the drummer’s family and legal team to keep their privacy in mind as this situation develops,” they stated.
The band had planned an eight-day tour in Europe to promote their latest album, “Holus Bolus,” collaborating with the Norwegian band Orsac: Oslo.
Oslo expressed their thoughts online, saying, “No one should be taken off a plane and jailed for trying to create art. We don’t claim to understand all the complexities here, but this kind of thing shouldn’t occur anywhere.”
