New reporting by MyNorthwest, citing Associated Press investigations, details accounts from families recently released from the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in south Texas. Their descriptions of prolonged confinement, limited medical access, and living conditions they say took a toll on their children offer another window into how national immigration enforcement policies continue to shift under the current administration.

According to AP’s reporting, families held at Dilley over the winter described a facility struggling with a growing population. Lawyers and advocates told the AP that children were routinely held well beyond the 20‑day limit set under the federal Flores settlement, with some reportedly confined for more than 100 days. Parents recounted sleepless nights in brightly lit rooms, difficulty accessing medical care, and overcrowded living spaces shared by multiple families.

Federal agencies disputed many of the reported problems. In statements cited by AP, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Dilley provides medical screenings, pediatric care, and mental health services, and described the center as a structured environment designed for family units. CoreCivic, the private prison contractor operating Dilley, told AP its staff includes trained medical personnel and said no child had been denied treatment, though the company declined to answer specific questions about individual cases.

The AP report highlighted the case of a 13‑year‑old girl whose mental health deteriorated after weeks inside the facility. According to AP interviews and discharge documents reviewed by its reporters, the teen attempted self‑harm following a period of isolation and escalating distress. A Department of Homeland Security official acknowledged what the official described as a single “case of self‑harm” but provided no details about the incident or the facility’s response.

Other families told AP they struggled to get medical care for children with fevers, vomiting, or respiratory issues. In one case, a mother said her infant daughter’s condition worsened over multiple clinic visits before she was sent to outside hospitals, where physicians diagnosed several illnesses. ICE, in comments provided to AP, said the child received appropriate care before being hospitalized and again upon return.

Concerns about oversight have escalated amid the facility’s expansion. AP reporting noted that a Department of Homeland Security office once tasked with monitoring conditions at family detention centers has been significantly reduced. Medical professionals who previously inspected Dilley under federal contract told AP they had warned for years about inadequate staffing and the psychological impact of prolonged detention on children.

For communities in Southwest Washington, the developments at Dilley reflect broader national shifts with local consequences. Immigrant families living in Cowlitz County and along the I‑5 corridor—many of whom work in agriculture, manufacturing, and service industries—follow federal detention practices closely because changes can affect loved ones far from home. Local legal service providers say the AP’s findings underscore how federal detention can reach people who have spent years building lives in U.S. communities, including in Washington State.

Schools, health care workers, and community groups in the Longview–Kelso area have previously noted that sudden detentions can disrupt families with longstanding local ties. While the AP report does not identify detainees from this region, the policy context it describes applies nationwide. Attorneys who work with Southwest Washington residents say that when the federal government expands family detention in one part of the country, the resulting fear and uncertainty often spread across immigrant communities elsewhere.

Several families interviewed by AP said that, upon release from Dilley, they faced long journeys back to their homes, financial strain, and lingering anxiety about future interactions with immigration authorities. Some described difficulty reassuring their children that they would not be detained again.

As immigration cases continue to move through federal courts in 2026, the conditions reported at Dilley are likely to remain part of broader debates about how the United States manages family detention. For Southwest Washington communities, those debates carry immediate relevance. National enforcement strategies shape the daily realities of many local families—and, in turn, the stability of schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods across the region.

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