Shafaqna English– Nearly 600 immigrant children held in Texas facility face troubling conditions including inadequate food and medical care.
Children and families held in the Dilley detention facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were sent earlier this year faced virus outbreaks and lasting lockdowns in December and January, even as the total number of children held at Dilley has fallen in recent weeks, according to the attorney’s reports and site visits.
Last week about 85 children remained detained at Dilley, but troubling conditions continued, said Mishan Wroe, directing attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, who visited in mid-March. In early February, a legal advocate for the children observed about 280 children.
“Dilley remains a hellhole,” said Leecia Welch, the chief legal director at Children’s Rights, who visits Dilley regularly to ensure compliance. “Although the number of children has decreased, the suffering remains the same.”
A report from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement showed that about 595 immigrant children were held in custody for more than the 20-day limit in December and January, with some stretching into months, per the filing.
Source: Arab News