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February 25, 2026Washington, DC, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

Debunking the mainstream media lies about South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas

This facility is purpose-built to ensure that families in detention are comfortable and have all of their needs cared for — all at the taxpayer’s expense

WASHINGTON — ICE is correcting the record and reaffirming the safe, humane and family-friendly conditions at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas.

“The Dilley facility is a family residential center designed specifically to house family units together in a safe, structured and appropriate environment,” said ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “What’s important for people to remember is that ICE detains to deport — so detention is not punitive, and Dilley is not a ‘correctional center’ or anything like that. It’s a place where families who have been in the U.S. illegally can get medical care, educational services, recreational opportunities and essential daily living needs while they await deportation.”

The Dilley facility is retrofitted for families. Children have access to teachers, classrooms, and curriculum booklets for math, reading and spelling. They have access to age-appropriate books, toys and outdoor activities. All of this is generously funded by the U.S. taxpayer.

Infant care packages include formula, baby food, bottles, diapers, wipes and hygiene items. The facility also provides sippy cups and cribs. Adults with children are housed in facilities that provide for their safety, security and medical needs.

The facility provides a comprehensive medical screening within 12 hours of arrival for each detainee, including infants and children.

Pediatric screenings include growth, developmental, behavioral and nutritional assessments, and all evaluations cover acute conditions, mental health, suicide risk, pregnancy status, medications, allergies and special needs. During initial screenings, the facility’s medical personnel review medications families bring with them for continuity and provide urgent and life-sustaining medications immediately. The facility has medical isolation rooms in case of contagious illnesses or when a need for quarantine arises, and staff make efforts to keep families together in these situations.

Medical professionals complete full assessments of all detainees within 48 working hours of admission, providing immediate referrals and priority care for kids, pregnant women and medically vulnerable residents. When residents need specialized care, onsite providers make them at no cost to detainees. Specialized off-site care includes hospitalization, specialty consultations, lab testing and durable medical equipment. In many cases, those in ICE custody have never had comprehensive health screenings — or, in some cases, any medical care at all — prior to entering detention.

In most cases, this is the best healthcare illegal aliens have received in their entire lives.

All Dilley medical professionals are trained annually in first aid, CPR and other emergency medical protocols. During emergencies, they call 911 and work with local hospitals.

Residents in the facility have ongoing access to on-site medical professionals, including physicians, nurses and mental health care providers. Medical services, including mental health and dental, are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and if necessary, medical providers refer residents to outside specialists or hospitals. The facility employs a full medical staff, including:

Physicians (including a pediatrician)
Nurse practitioners
Registered nurses
Licensed vocational nurses
Psychologists and a psychiatrist
Mental health coordinators
Pharmacy staff
Medical support personnel

All licensed providers hold current, active and unrestricted licenses, certifications and registrations in Texas, and each goes through rigorous credentialing and privileging processes.

Children residing in the facility have access to educational programming, age-appropriate books and toys, and outdoor activities. Infant care packages include formula, baby food, bottles, diapers, wipes and hygiene items; the facility also provides sippy cups and cribs. Staff also provide for special diets and allergy accommodations when necessary.

Residents with disabilities can rely on communication accommodations via auxiliary aids and assistive devices. When residents present with disabilities that require specialized housing, staff provides it. Staff also provide accessible transportation when needed.

Families also have access to religious services and visits from clergy, a law library, attorney visitation and mail services. The facility also provides privacy accommodations for its residents.

“ICE facilities have to reach high national detention standards, and Dilley is no exception,” said ICE Deputy Director Charles Wall. “Families are kept together in private living areas — a far cry from the myth that ICE is involved in so-called ‘family separation’ — and we provide them with meals, laundry services, and access to phones, tablets and legal resources, just like we do in every other detention facility. Our detention facilities are holding spaces for people who entered the U.S. illegally or have no legal basis to remain in the country, and they’re among the most professionally maintained facilities in the nation.”

Dilley personnel, including the ICE Health Service Corps, work every day to ensure the families in their care are safe, healthy and well. ICE and its contractors provide appropriate living conditions and access to necessary services while enforcing immigration law.

Being in detention is a choice. We encourage all parents to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.

Learn more about ICE’s public safety mission on X at @ICEgov.

Updated: 02/25/2026