Yamal Said, a drummer with a Texas-based band, was removed from a flight at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport by federal officials this week, halting his group’s plans to launch a tour in Europe.
According to Fox News, the musician was taken into custody by border officials Monday over an arrest warrant tied to repeated violations of a restraining order, leading to his current detention and the cancellation of his band's European tour.
Said, a lawful permanent resident originally from Mexico, is a member of Lord Buffalo, a heavy Americana band based in Texas. The band was scheduled to depart Monday for a European tour in support of its new album, “Holus Bolus,” alongside Norwegian band Orsak: Oslo. That tour has now been scrapped following the incident.
According to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security, Said was apprehended before boarding his international flight due to an active arrest warrant. Federal authorities cited his alleged violation of a restraining order on at least two occasions. In the state of Texas, multiple breaches of such an order can result in felony charges, depending on the context of the incidents.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in a message posted on social media platform X, confirmed that Said was attempting to leave the country when he was detained at the airport. The agency stated that he was turned over to local officials following his removal from the flight.
Said is currently housed at the Tarrant County Corrections Center, awaiting further legal proceedings. Details regarding the restraining order allegedly violated have not been made publicly available. It remains unclear whether any court dates or legal representations have been arranged at this time.
CBP emphasized its position regarding immigration and legal compliance in its statement, asserting that foreign residents who break American laws will be held accountable before being permitted to travel outside the U.S. The agency indicated that it became aware of the warrant during a pre-departure check of outbound passengers.
Said relocated from Mexico to the United States in the 1980s following a major earthquake in Mexico City. He has resided in the U.S. as a green card holder and has lived and worked in Texas for years. In addition to performing with Lord Buffalo over the past eight years, Said also teaches music.
He is on staff at the Texas School for the Blind in Austin. Paul Carlson, the school’s assistant principal, described him as “a highly respected and long-serving member of our school community.” The school has not issued additional comments or indicated whether his employment status has changed as a result of the legal issues.
The sudden development not only disrupted Said’s personal and professional life, but also had an immediate and wide-reaching impact on Lord Buffalo and its tour plans. The group has been preparing to promote their latest project overseas, and the situation has now reshaped those plans abruptly.
Lord Buffalo announced the cancellation of its eight-date tour in Europe shortly after news of the detention became public. In a social media statement, the band thanked its fans and encouraged them to offer understanding as the situation unfolds.
“We appreciate the tremendous outpouring of support from y’all today,” the group's statement read. “We still know very little about the situation, but we have been asked by our drummer’s family and his legal team to respect their privacy while this situation evolves.”
The band has not shared whether it will reschedule any of the postponed shows or move forward with alternative plans without Said. No replacement drummer or revised performance dates have been confirmed as of Friday.
Norwegian band Orsak: Oslo, which was scheduled to tour with Lord Buffalo, also addressed the matter in a statement of solidarity. On social media, the band expressed concern about the nature of the arrest and the disruption it caused.
“No one should be pulled off a plane and jailed for simply trying to travel and make art with their band,” the group posted. “We won’t pretend to understand the full complexity of the situation, but this should not happen anywhere.”
The group did not clarify whether it will continue with any of the planned dates alone or seek new touring partners. Several music fans on both sides of the Atlantic have since shown support for both bands online.
As of Friday night, no official court schedule or bond hearing has been released to the media. It is also unknown whether immigration authorities will pursue any additional actions, although Said’s green card status allows him to reside permanently in the United States, barring serious legal infractions.
Neither Lord Buffalo nor the Texas School for the Blind has confirmed whether it will assist Said with legal support. His family has not spoken publicly but reportedly asked the band and supporters to respect their privacy during this phase of legal proceedings.
While his future with the band and school may not be decided yet, the impact of Said’s sudden arrest is reverberating throughout the local and international music scenes. Many continue to monitor the situation to see how it evolves in the coming days and weeks.
