‘Let Us Out’: ICE Detention of Children Sparks Protests
In this interview with Democracy Now!, Javier Hidalgo, of the nonprofit organization RAICES, highlights the escalating humanitarian crisis at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, where hundreds of families and children recently organized a mass protest against inhumane living conditions and prolonged family detention. RAICES, serving as the only weekly legal aid provider inside the facility, has been central to exposing these abuses; they co-authored a definitive report detailing systemic neglect, due process violations, and state-sanctioned harm inflicted upon the approximately 5,600 people cycled through the facility since its 2025 reopening. Detainees have described abhorrent medical care, inedible food, and psychological trauma, while RAICES attorneys have documented dozens of sworn declarations regarding government misconduct and the detention of children well beyond the court-mandated 20-day limit. Despite peaceful demonstrations by families chanting "Libertad," authorities have reportedly responded with aggressive tactics, including the use of tear gas and pepper balls against protesters and supporters outside the ICE family prison.
