911 Calls Reveal Medical Emergencies at Texas ICE Detention Center

Recordings show multiple incidents involving children and pregnant women at for-profit facility

Feb. 24, 2026 at 12:26am

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According to newly obtained 911 recordings and documents, medical emergencies involving children and pregnant women held at a for-profit immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas occur multiple times a month. The calls detail incidents of children with fevers, breathing difficulties, and low oxygen levels, as well as pregnant women fainting and suffering seizures, requiring emergency medical response.

Why it matters

The revelations raise concerns about the health and safety conditions at the family detention center, which has faced criticism over the prolonged detention of children in violation of federal guidelines. The issues highlight the challenges and potential risks faced by vulnerable populations in immigration detention facilities.

The details

The 911 calls were made by staff at the Dilley family detention center, which opened in March 2025. They include requests for ambulances to assist a 6-year-old boy with a fever, a 2-month-old baby with breathing problems, a 1-year-old struggling to breathe, and a child with dangerously low oxygen levels. The logs also show two calls for pregnant women, one who fainted and another who had a seizure. In one case, first responders wanted to airlift a child to the hospital but couldn't due to bad weather.

  • The Dilley family detention center opened in March 2025.
  • The 911 calls and emergency logs obtained cover incidents occurring multiple times per month since the center opened.

The players

Dilley Family Detention Center

A for-profit immigration detention facility located in Dilley, Texas that houses families, including children and pregnant women.

Kristin Etter

Director of policy and legal services at the Texas Immigration Law Council, who represents some of the families detained at Dilley.

Jarson Herrera and Kelly Vargas

A family detained at Dilley with their 6-year-old daughter Maria Paula, who developed health issues while in detention.

CoreCivic

The for-profit company that owns and operates the Dilley family detention center.

Department of Homeland Security

The government agency that oversees immigration enforcement, including the operation of detention facilities like Dilley.

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What they’re saying

“They're in very large rooms with like 60 people in a room. You can see what a desolate, bleak, and dystopian place it really is.”

— Kristin Etter, Director of policy and legal services, Texas Immigration Law Council

“The only thing they did was give her allergy medicine. And the three of us had stomach problems caused by the food and the water.”

— Kelly Vargas

“It's very sad to see how skinny she got. They threw her out of there vomiting, because my daughter had been vomiting for three days.”

— Kelly Vargas

What’s next

The Department of Homeland Security and CoreCivic, the company that operates the Dilley detention center, have stated that claims of inhumane conditions are false and that the health of detainees is a priority. However, the 911 call records and accounts from families suggest ongoing issues that may require further investigation and oversight.

The takeaway

The medical emergencies at the Dilley detention center highlight the challenges and potential risks faced by vulnerable populations, including children and pregnant women, in immigration detention facilities. The revelations raise serious concerns about the adequacy of healthcare and living conditions at these for-profit detention centers, which have faced longstanding criticism over the prolonged detention of minors.