Dilley Detention Center Draws Renewed Scrutiny From Democrats

Last week, Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Nanette Barragán (D-CA) and Greg Stanton (D-AZ) initiated another oversight visit to the Dilley detention center in Southwest Texas, where families cited poor living conditions and lawmakers questioned the facility's lack of transparency.

During their sixth oversight visit this year to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center—the nation's largest family immigration detention facility—lawmakers met with several families who reported poor food quality, difficult sleeping conditions and inadequate access to education and medical care.

Rep. Castro, who led the visit, said there were over 1,100 people in the facility when he first visited in January. Now, there are 345.

Despite the decline, Rep. Castro continues to call for the facility's closure due to its "trailer prison” conditions. He also said that Dilley is the only detention center that holds children "who have done nothing wrong."

“Right now, there are three kids under the age of three locked up at the Dilley trailer prison,” Rep. Castro said. “And ICE is making it harder for members of Congress to conduct oversight and hear directly from families.”

As immigration enforcement becomes less visible under President Donald Trump’s administration, some members of Congress are raising concerns about the lack of clarity on practices and protocols within agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

During the inspection, ICE detailed how it collects DNA samples from detainees upon arrival, but could not confirm that proper protections existed to keep biometric information secure.

According to Rep. Castro, ICE is not focused on maintaining ethical practices in its enforcement.

“For ICE, cruelty is the point,” Rep. Castro said.

Rep. Stanton said many of detainees the members spoke to had been imprisoned for months, leaving many families in “deportation limbo” despite having no criminal record.

“On-the-ground oversight of ICE facilities has never been more urgent, and we're going to keep showing up,” Rep. Stanton said.

Rep. Barragán said the administration and ICE have not been focusing its efforts on detaining serious criminals.

“Instead, they’ve harassed and locked up families who have contributed to our country for years and played by the rules once they are here,” he said.

Rep. Barragán also pointed to new ICE restrictions that require lawmakers to obtain advance approval before speaking with detainees, making it more difficult for families to share their experiences with members.

But rather than discouraging oversight, she said, restrictions like these only motivate more oversight visits to occur in the future.

“We will continue to shine a light on the mistreatment of immigrants by this Administration, advocate for their release and hold the Administration accountable through these Congressional oversight visits,” Rep. Barragán said. “Americans need to know what is happening.”