Families Detained Longer Than Allowed at Immigration Facility

Advocates say children are being held for months at the Dilley detention center, violating court-ordered limits.

Feb. 17, 2026 at 9:23am

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Khelin Marcano, Stiven Prieto and their one-year-old daughter Amalia were detained for 60 days at the Dilley immigration detention center in Texas, far exceeding the 20-day limit set by the Flores Settlement. The family says their daughter developed a fever and respiratory issues while detained, but medical staff dismissed their concerns. Advocates claim the Trump administration is holding children and families seeking asylum in prolonged detention, with some families detained for months.

Why it matters

The prolonged detention of families and children at the Dilley facility raises concerns about the treatment of asylum-seekers and the government's adherence to court-ordered limits on detaining minors. Advocates argue the detention has long-term negative effects on children's wellbeing.

The details

Marcano, Prieto and their daughter were quickly sent from El Paso to the Dilley detention center after a routine ICE appointment, where they were held for 60 days. The Flores Settlement generally limits detention of children to 20 days, but the facility currently holds around 1,400 people, including many families. The family says their daughter developed a fever and respiratory issues, but medical staff dismissed their concerns. After the daughter was hospitalized with COVID-19 and a respiratory virus, staff at Dilley confiscated her nebulizer and medication upon return. The family was released after filing a habeas petition.

  • In December, Marcano and her family were detained at an ICE appointment.
  • The family was held at the Dilley facility for 60 days.
  • The family was released last week and their first court date is scheduled for 2027.

The players

Khelin Marcano

A mother who was detained at the Dilley immigration detention center with her husband and one-year-old daughter.

Stiven Prieto

The husband of Khelin Marcano, who was detained at the Dilley facility with his family.

Amalia

The one-year-old daughter of Khelin Marcano and Stiven Prieto, who was detained at the Dilley facility with her family.

Elora Mukherjee

The family's lawyer, who argued the Dilley facility lacked basic hygiene and nutrition and that the family saw bugs in the food.

RAICES

A legal immigrant advocacy group that reported the Dilley facility held around 1,400 people, including children and parents, as of last month.

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What they’re saying

“Children and families at the Dilley facility don't have access to sufficient clean drinking water, where they don't have access to sufficient nutritious food, [and] don't have access to adequate medical care.”

— Elora Mukherjee, Family's Lawyer

“The doctor told me that fever was a good sign because it meant she was actively fighting a virus. I got really upset … and told her that whatever the case was, a fever is not a good thing. If she didn't know that fever could kill people, or that fever could cause convulsions, fever would never be good.”

— Khelin Marcano

“They took her treatment away. Why does this happen to us if we have done everything right? I was begging the officers to please help me get out of there, and no one listened to me.”

— Khelin Marcano

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the family to remain in the country while applying for asylum.

The takeaway

This case highlights the Trump administration's practice of detaining families and children seeking asylum for prolonged periods, often exceeding court-ordered limits and subjecting them to poor conditions that negatively impact their health and wellbeing. It raises concerns about the government's adherence to legal protections for vulnerable migrants.