Heartbreaking Letters From Children Detained by ICE Revealed

Children describe poor conditions, lack of medical care, and emotional distress at Dilley Immigration Center in Texas

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Hundreds of children being held at the Dilley Immigration Center in South Texas have shared devastating details of their time in custody, including descriptions of disgusting food, inadequate medical care, indifferent guards, and the anguish they feel being separated from their families. The letters were collected by a detainee at the request of a ProPublica reporter and reveal the harsh realities faced by young immigrants detained by ICE.

Why it matters

The letters provide a rare firsthand account of the experiences of children in ICE detention centers, which have faced ongoing criticism over poor conditions and the trauma inflicted on young detainees. The revelations raise further questions about the treatment of immigrant families under the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies.

The details

The letters describe a range of issues at the Dilley Immigration Center, including inadequate schooling and medical care, indifferent guards, and overcrowded rooms. One 14-year-old named Ariana wrote that she has "never felt so much fear to go to a place" and that "all you feel is sadness and mostly depression." A 9-year-old named Maria Antonia Guerra Montoya said she felt it was her fault she and her mother ended up in detention, while 7-year-old Mia Valentina Pas Faria wrote that she misses her grandparents, friends, and school.

  • The letters were collected by a detainee in mid-January 2026 at the request of a ProPublica reporter.
  • The detainee who collected the letters was released from custody on January 20, 2026.

The players

Liam Conejo Ramos

A 5-year-old boy who became the face of President Trump's mass deportation operation after being detained by ICE while returning home from preschool.

Ariana

A 14-year-old girl who has been detained at the Dilley Immigration Center for 45 days and says she has "never felt so much fear to go to a place" and that "all you feel is sadness and mostly depression."

Luisanney Toloza

A 5-year-old girl who drew a crayon portrait titled "My family" while detained at the Dilley Immigration Center.

Mia Valentina Pas Faria

A 7-year-old girl who has been detained at the Dilley Immigration Center for 70 days and says she misses her grandparents, friends, and school.

Maria Antonia Guerra Montoya

A 9-year-old girl who came to the U.S. from Venezuela on a tourist visa to visit her mother and has been in custody for 113 days, feeling like it's her fault she and her mother ended up in detention.

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What they’re saying

“I've been detained for 45 days and I have never felt so much fear to go to a place as I feel here. Since I got to this Center, all you feel is sadness and mostly depression.”

— Ariana, 14-year-old detainee (ProPublica)

“I miss my grandparents, I miss my friends, I don't like the food here, I miss my school.”

— Mia Valentina Pas Faria, 7-year-old detainee (ProPublica)

“It's overwhelming being locked up against my will.”

— Scarlett Jaimes, 17-year-old detainee from Venezuela (ProPublica)

“I feel like it's my fault we ended up here.”

— Maria Antonia Guerra Montoya, 9-year-old detainee from Venezuela (ProPublica)

What’s next

The Department of Homeland Security and the company that operates the Dilley Immigration Center, CoreCivic, have both issued statements defending the conditions and care provided at the facility. However, the revelations in the children's letters are likely to increase scrutiny and pressure on the government to improve the treatment of young immigrants in detention.

The takeaway

The heartbreaking accounts from children detained at the Dilley Immigration Center shine a light on the human toll of the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies, underscoring the trauma and suffering inflicted on vulnerable young people caught up in the system. These letters serve as a powerful reminder of the urgent need for reform and greater protections for immigrant families.