“The Children of Dilley”: Inside a Texas Detention Center Where Families Face Prolonged Trauma
A new ProPublica investigation sheds light on the harsh realities faced by families detained at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, raising critical questions about the detention of children and the profits being made from their incarceration. Opened initially by the Obama administration in 2014, the sprawling complex, operated by the private prison company CoreCivic, has undergone a significant shift in its population and purpose.
The investigation reveals a disturbing trend: while initially intended for families recently crossing the border, Dilley is now increasingly holding children arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the United States, some of whom have lived in the country for years. This shift coincides with a drop in border crossings and a surge in financial incentives for private prison firms.
Voices from Within Dilley
The human cost of this detention policy is powerfully illustrated through the firsthand accounts of children held at Dilley. A 9-year-old girl from Venezuela, Susej Fernández, described a life of constant surveillance and restriction, telling ProPublica, “[translated] Honestly, honestly, I don’t feel good, because there’s always, always an officer around, like, bothering me. I can’t go anywhere. And if I need to go to the bathroom, they won’t let me, because I have to go with my mom. So it’s annoying, and I just have to stay in my room.”
The emotional toll is equally stark, as evidenced by the letter read by 14-year-old Ariana Velasquez, a high school student from Honduras who has resided in the U.S. for seven years. “Hello. My name is Ariana V. I’m 14 years old, and I’m from Honduras. I’ve been detained for 45 days, and I have never felt so much fear to go to a place as I feel here,” she shared. “Every time I remind myself that once I go back to Honduras, a lot of dangerous things could happen to my mom and I. My younger siblings haven’t been able to see their mom in more than a month. They’re very young, and you need both of your parents when you’re growing up. Since I got to this center, all you will feel is sadness and mostly depression.”
A Changing Landscape of Family Detention
ProPublica investigative reporter Mica Rosenberg explained that the center’s evolving role reflects a broader change in ICE’s approach. “In the past, the center had mainly been used to hold families who were recently crossing the border,” Rosenberg stated. “But now there’s been a real shift…many of the children who are now being sent there are being arrested by ICE around the country.” This includes children who are deeply integrated into American life, speaking fluent English and attending school, only to be separated from their U.S. citizen siblings. In Ariana Velasquez’s case, her mother was detained while her younger brother and sister, a kindergartner and a toddler, remained free.
Profiting from Incarceration: The Role of CoreCivic
The operation of the Dilley facility is contracted to CoreCivic, a major player in the private prison industry. According to Rosenberg, CoreCivic, along with GEO Group and other firms, has a long-standing relationship with ICE. While these companies claim to adhere to health and safety standards, the influx of funding into ICE and the expansion of detention facilities are creating significant financial incentives. “These companies are set to earn more money as they expand,” Rosenberg noted, “and there’s other companies that are interested in sort of getting in the detention game. We’ve written about tent companies to build tent camps. They’re also talking about taking over warehouses and converting those into detention facilities.”
A Record Number of Children in Shelters
The issue extends beyond Dilley, with ICE detaining a record number of children in federal shelters. A separate ProPublica investigation revealed that ICE arrested 600 immigrant children and placed them in these shelters in the past year alone. This practice, Rosenberg explained, is leading to the separation of children from their parents, even those who have established lives in the United States. These shelters, originally intended for recent border crossers, are now housing children who have resided in the U.S. for years.
The situation at Dilley and in other ICE facilities raises profound ethical and legal questions about the treatment of migrant children and the role of private companies in profiting from their detention. The voices of Susej and Ariana serve as a stark reminder of the human consequences of these policies, highlighting the urgent need for reform and a more humane approach to immigration enforcement.
