911 Calls Reveal Medical Distress at Dilley Detention Facility

Emergency crews have responded to over 11 calls for children in medical crisis at the South Texas Family Residential Center since September.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A new NBC News report reveals that emergency crews have been called to the Dilley detention facility at least 11 times since September for children in medical distress. 911 call logs and audio paint a dire picture, with callers reporting children experiencing seizures, potential fractures, dangerously low blood oxygen levels, and other life-threatening conditions. Most were taken to a nearby hospital, while some with more serious issues were rushed to a specialized pediatric hospital in San Antonio.

Why it matters

The report highlights the serious health consequences of detaining children, which the American Academy of Pediatrics has repeatedly opposed. Experts say detention causes predictable, severe, and lasting harm to children's mental and physical health, including malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, and behavioral/mental health issues like suicidal ideation.

The details

The 911 call logs and audio obtained by NBC News reveal a pattern of children in medical distress at the Dilley facility, which detains over 1,400 people, including hundreds of children. Callers reported children experiencing seizures, potential fractures, dangerously low blood oxygen levels, and other life-threatening conditions. Most were taken to a nearby community hospital, while some with more serious conditions were rushed to a specialized pediatric hospital in San Antonio.

  • Since September 2025, emergency crews have responded to at least 11 calls from the Dilley detention facility.

The players

Dilley Detention Facility

Also known as the South Texas Family Residential Center, a detention facility that holds over 1,400 people, including hundreds of children.

Lara Jones, M.D.

A pediatric critical care physician who stated that there is "absolutely, unequivocally no appropriate way to detain a child" and that detention is "causing physical, mental, measurable, studied harm" to children.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem

The Secretary of Homeland Security, who received a letter from a group of physicians urging the immediate release of children from immigration detention facilities.

Joaquin Castro

A U.S. Representative from San Antonio who stated that medical facilities at the Dilley facility seem to be infrequently staffed.

CoreCivic

The private prison company that operates the Dilley detention facility under a federal contract.

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What’s next

The judge overseeing the case will decide on Tuesday whether to allow the continued detention of children at the Dilley facility.

The takeaway

This report underscores the serious medical and mental health risks posed by detaining children, which experts and medical authorities have repeatedly condemned as unethical and harmful. It raises urgent questions about the treatment of vulnerable populations in for-profit detention centers and the need for immediate action to protect the wellbeing of children.