The Trump administration has resumed the detention of immigrant families in South Texas, a practice that had been paused during the Biden administration. This comes following confirmation from RAICES, a legal nonprofit that offers assistance to migrant families, which stated that the Karnes County facility, located roughly 50 miles southeast of San Antonio, is once again housing families. Currently, the center holds 14 families with children, some as young as one year old.
These families originate from diverse countries including Colombia, Romania, Iran, Angola, Russia, Armenia, Turkey, and Brazil. According to Faisal Al-Juburi, the chief external affairs officer for RAICES, detentions have occurred for different durations. Some families have been in the U.S. for just 20 days, whereas others have been there for nearly a decade. Previously, the nonprofit had been supporting adult detainees at the center until last week’s shift, which involved relocating the adults.
The policy of detaining families during their immigration processes was implemented under both the Obama and initial Trump administrations. However, during Trump’s presidency, the policy was further tightened through reduced asylum opportunities and the controversial separation of children from parents, which faced widespread condemnation.
Under Biden, the practice of family detention largely ceased, though it was briefly reconsidered earlier in 2023. In response to inquiries on Wednesday, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement did not offer a comment.
Geo Group, the operator of the Karnes County facility, issued a statement highlighting that the center can accommodate up to 1,328 individuals and is under a federal contract until August 2029, expected to generate approximately $79 million in revenue in its first operational year. Additionally, CoreCivic has entered a contract with ICE to manage the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, which has a capacity for 2,400 people.
The reapplication of family detention has raised alarms among immigration advocates, mainly concerning the wellbeing of children in these settings. Dr. Alan Shapiro of Terra Firma National, which focuses on healthcare and legal assistance for immigrant children and families, expressed serious concerns over the mental and physical effects of detention observed during visits to similar centers during Trump’s first term.
According to Shapiro, there were instances where detained children exhibited signs of behavioral regression, anger, and self-harm, with some suffering from suicidal thoughts and eating disorders, issues that were not apparent before their detention.
