DILLEY, TEXAS —Yesterday, Congressman Greg Stanton (AZ-04), along with his colleagues Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44), conducted a congressional oversight visit at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in South Texas. The Dilley facility reopened in 2025 under Trump’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after an agreement with CoreCivic Inc. and is one of two family detention centers in the country, with a maximum capacity of 2,400 detainees.
During the visit, the lawmakers met with detained families, including mothers, fathers, and children, who described poor food quality, difficult sleeping conditions, and limited access to education and medical care. Their accounts come amid growing concerns over conditions at the detention center, particularly reports of inadequate food and medical care for pregnant women and young children.
As of yesterday, the facility had 345 people, including 66 families and 97 children. Local ICE officials also outlined the process for collecting DNA samples from detainees upon arrival but could not confirm proper protocols were in place to keep biometric information secure.
Reps. Stanton, Castro, Barragán report conditions at Dilley. Watch the video here.
“We spoke to the children, parents, and spouses being swept up into Trump's mass deportation machine — mothers separated from their American-born children, business owners imprisoned for months, and families left in deportation limbo after decades here with no criminal record. On-the-ground oversight of ICE facilities has never been more urgent, and we're going to keep showing up,” said Congressman Stanton.
“For ICE, cruelty is the point,” said Congressman Castro. “Right now, there are three kids under the age of three locked up at the Dilley trailer prison, and ICE is making it harder for members of Congress to conduct oversight and hear directly from families. ICE is becoming more secretive and restrictive. Thanks to all who continue to speak out against this secrecy and inhumanity. I will continue to push to shut down Dilley and free our children.”
“Why are young children being locked up at the Dilley Detention Center and rules being put in place to make it harder and harder for families to speak with Members of Congress?” said Congresswoman Nanette Barragán. “Our immigrant families should not be treated in this way. The Trump administration and ICE have not focused their enforcement on 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. 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. Americans need to know what is happening.”