Conditions at ICE Detention Center for Families Should Be National Scandal, Says Congressman

Rep. Joaquin Castro is raising alarms about conditions at the Dilley family detention center in South Texas, which the Trump administration reopened last year to hold immigrant families as part of its mass deportation effort. During recent visits, Castro documented a measles outbreak, inadequate water and food, delayed prenatal care for pregnant women, and an allegation of sexual assault—conditions he says should constitute a national scandal. The facility, run by CoreCivic and designed to hold 2,400 people, was closed by the Biden administration in 2021 over cost and humanitarian concerns. Castro's advocacy came into focus after he personally escorted 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father to the airport following their release, after a federal judge ruled their detention violated constitutional protections. Castro plans to return to Dilley next week with other members of Congress to document conditions and pressure the facility to improve operations.