The Number of Families Being Held at Dilley Detention Center Has Plummeted

Bookings at Dilley, the country's only immigrant family detention center in Texas, dropped 75% in February to 133 admissions compared with an average of 600 monthly between April 2025 and January, according to ICE data obtained by ProPublica. The sharp decline followed weeks of public pressure, including viral images of detained children, letters published by ProPublica describing conditions inside the facility, and congressional hearings where lawmakers pressed ICE officials on the psychological effects of child detention. Current ICE officials and lawyers said they could not explain the reason for the plunge, though the timing coincided with widespread media coverage that included a viral photo of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos in a blue bunny hat and a video from social media personality Ms. Rachel reaching 4.9 million followers. The Trump administration stated in a court filing that custody decisions are made "daily, on a case-by-case basis" and that the agency does not make immigration decisions based on public opinion. Many families held at Dilley have been detained well beyond the 20-day limit set by the decades-old Flores agreement, with average stays exceeding 50 days in recent months.