I RECOGNIZE THE LOOK ON LIAM RAMOS’ FACE
The trailers at Dilley are now rusted from floods, and well past their intended lifespan. ICE created a barrier between some of the trailers so that the facility can house mothers and fathers at the same time. This year, its population has fluctuated between 900 and 1,400, including pregnant women and children as young as two months old, according to Faisal Al-Juburi, a co-CEO of Raices, whose lawyers provide free counsel to families there. Like Liam Ramos, whose family came from Ecuador in 2024 and requested asylum, some detainees have pending applications for legal immigration status. And some were picked up at their court appearances or at appointments at ICE offices.
It’s become harder to learn what’s happening inside Dilley in recent months, though reports suggest that conditions are worsening. ICE is no longer offering tours to journalists. After ProPublica published pictures and letters written by detained children, guards reportedly started confiscating crayons and paper. In 911 logs, ProPublica found reports of “toddlers having trouble breathing, a pregnant woman who passed out and an elementary-school-aged girl having seizures. Local authorities were also called in for three cases of alleged sexual assault between detainees” …
