Pediatricians Condemn ICE Detention of Children

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In an opinion piece, pediatricians Dr. Andrew D. Racine, Dr. Sural Shah, and Dr. Kimberly Mukerjee condemn the U.S. government's practice of detaining immigrant children, including the case of 5-year-old Liam Ramos who was held with his father at the Dilley, Texas family detention center. The doctors describe the traumatic impact of these detentions on children's physical and mental health, and call for the immediate release of all children in immigration detention and the permanent closure of these facilities.

Why it matters

The doctors argue that the aggressive tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including conducting enforcement actions near schools and healthcare facilities, are deeply traumatizing for children in immigrant families. They say these practices deprive children of a sense of safety, leading to panic attacks, health issues, and long-term psychological harm.

The details

Liam Ramos and his father were detained by ICE and sent over 1,000 miles from their home in Minneapolis to the Dilley, Texas family detention center, where they were held with over 1,000 other detainees, including hundreds of young children, in substandard conditions. While Liam has since returned home, the doctors say his traumatic detention experience will forever remain a part of his childhood memory. They note that Liam was one of several children confined to detention after immigration enforcement occurred at or around their schools. The doctors describe the wide-ranging health impacts they see in children, including disrupted sleep, loss of appetite, panic attacks, learning difficulties, and persistent anxiety.

• In the spring of 2025, the administration revived the practice of family detention, which had previously been shut down in 2021.
• More than 1,700 children have been detained in family detention centers since the spring of 2025.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The doctors call for Congress to prohibit immigration enforcement actions at or near sensitive locations like schools and healthcare facilities, ensure proper training for federal law enforcement officials working in communities with children, and establish immediate congressional oversight of conditions in family detention facilities with the goal of permanently shutting them down.