Bottled water and delayed care amid detention facility concerns as Florida-based Flores case advances

New revelations about conditions at a Texas detention facility for immigrant families have intensified concerns raised by attorneys representing children. The disclosures are part of a lawsuit in which the government seeks to end protections for immigrant children under the Flores Settlement, a 1997 agreement that limits how long Customs and Border Protection can hold minors and requires safe and sanitary conditions. U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee in Los Angeles has heard arguments as the government presses to end the Flores protections, a move that would reshape how cases involving detained children are managed.

The facility at Dilley, Texas, reopened in March after being shuttered for months during the pandemic-era closures and policy debates. Attorneys representing the children say the renewed operation has been marked by persistently troubling conditions, including access to clean water, timely medical care and basic supplies. About 65 families have spoken to attorneys since Dilley’s reopening, according to Leecia Welch, deputy legal director at Children’s Rights, who has gathered declarations for the case. Welch told The Associated Press that many families were apprehended from across the country as they complied with immigration court hearings and ICE check-ins, underscoring the volume of people entering the pipeline at the facility.

Families described a range of health and hygiene concerns. Detainees can buy bottled water for $1.21 from the commissary, a sum some families say is steep given the facility’s conditions. They described water that is cloudy and has an odd smell that upsets stomachs, and they reported skin irritations from the hand soap used in showers. Critics say these issues point to inadequate facilities for basic needs. In addition to water concerns, the food offered to children has drawn criticism, with accounts noting that snacks such as graham crackers, apples, juice and milk have not met expectations for nutrition and comfort.

The cost of everyday goods inside the detention complex has drawn particular scrutiny. Welch said families face prices as high as $5.73 for deodorant, $1.44 for soap and $2.39 for toothpaste. A single dose of Tylenol costs $1.30, according to disclosed court documents. The medical system within the site has also drawn alarm. Welch cited an instance in which a child with a stomachache waited six hours for a nurse, and was not taken to a hospital with appendicitis until after the child began vomiting. In another case, a child who fell on his arm waited two hours before staff transported him to a hospital for an X-ray.

There is also concern about the level of organized activity and education offered to children. Attorneys describe limited instructional materials, with families reporting only about an hour of workbooks-based instruction daily and few activities designed to engage children beyond basic care needs. In one personal account provided to Welch, a mother described the emotional impact on her child, noting that her son told her he no longer believes in God after weeks of confinement: “I don’t believe in God anymore because he prays to him but we still haven’t been able to get out of here.”

Some families released after lengthy detention periods are reportedly detained again upon follow-up, underscoring a broader concern about the cycle of release and re-detention under current policy. Welch described a case in which a family released after roughly 60 days in federal detention was asked to check in with ICE and ended up detained again at the follow-up appointment. The pattern, she said, indicates ongoing uncertainty and disruption for families navigating the immigration process while children’s health needs persist.

The legal landscape remains uncertain. Government lawyers have argued that ending the Flores protections would allow faster processing of cases, but advocacy groups contend that the conditions described at Dilley demonstrate why safeguards for safe, sanitary, and humane conditions are essential for detained children. Judge Gee has asked for precise information on detention times as part of the Flores debate; the latest government updates show some improvement in average detention times, with ICE reporting a decrease in the number of children held more than 72 hours from roughly six days to about five days in June and July, though advocates contest that the “vast majority” of children spend less than 72 hours in CBP custody masks persistent delays for many others.

The ongoing dispute highlights the tension between policy aims to streamline child processing and court requirements to ensure that detention conditions meet health and safety standards. For families at Dilley, the immediate concerns are tangible: access to clean water, affordable necessities, timely medical attention, and a stable environment for children during a difficult and uncertain period in the immigration process.

As the case advances, advocates say the health and well-being of detained children should be prioritized in any decision about the Flores framework. The government argues that the Flores protections are an obstacle to timely resolution, while critics warn that weakening or ending the safeguards could expose more children to further health risks and prolonged detention. The court has yet to decide the ultimate fate of the agreement, but the testimonies from Dilley suggest that, whatever the outcome, health-related quality of life for detained children remains a central and contested issue.