Hundreds of Immigrant Children Held Beyond Legal Limits at Texas Facility
Immigrant children continue to face extended detention at the Dilley facility in Texas, despite legal limits. Government records reveal that hundreds were held beyond the 20-day cap in late 2023 and early 2024. Conditions inside remain dire, with reports of medical neglect and virus outbreaks.
Between December and January, around 595 children were detained for over 20 days at Dilley. Of these, 265 spent more than 50 days in custody, while 55 exceeded 100 days. The figures mark a rise compared to August and September, when 400 children were held beyond the legal timeframe.
In the same period, families and detainees endured virus outbreaks and prolonged lockdowns. A 13-year-old girl attempted suicide after staff allegedly withheld her antidepressants and refused to reunite her with her mother. By early February, about 280 children remained at the facility, though numbers dropped to roughly 85 by mid-March. The Trump administration is pushing to dismantle the Flores settlement, which currently restricts child detention to 20 days. A hearing on the matter, led by Chief U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee, is set for later this month. No official data has been released on the number of families detained at Dilley in 2023 or their countries of origin.
The situation at Dilley highlights ongoing concerns over detention conditions and legal compliance. With hundreds of children held beyond permitted timeframes, the upcoming court hearing could determine future enforcement of custody limits. Advocates continue to describe the facility as a 'hellhole' despite the recent decline in detainee numbers.
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