DILLEY, TEXAS — U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro is calling for the immediate release of a two-year-old boy, Kaleth, who has allegedly fallen ill while being held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley.
Castro, a Democrat representing western San Antonio, said Kaleth is being held alongside his mother, Joani, and is “getting sicker with each passing day.”
He reported that the child refuses to eat the facility’s food, which detainees have claimed sometimes contains mold or worms, and that Kaleth has developed a fever. When his mother sought assistance, staff reportedly dismissed her concerns as “all mental.”
Castro accused U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of denying Kaleth and his mother “their reality and their needs” and demanded that ICE provide proper medical care and release both immediately. In response, an ICE spokesperson said that additional identifying information, such as the mother’s full name, is needed to locate the detainees.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that the Dilley facility provides 24-hour medical care to all detainees, including pediatric screenings for infants and children that cover growth, developmental, behavioral, and nutritional assessments, as well as mental health evaluations, medications, allergies, and special needs.
The Dilley facility has faced repeated allegations of inhumane conditions from lawmakers, advocates, attorneys, and former detainees, including poor sanitation, inadequate food quality, abusive treatment, prolonged detention, and insufficient medical and educational resources.
Recent legal filings claim the facility is “woefully out of compliance” with national standards for the detention of immigrant children. The center has previously housed cases involving young children, such as five-year-old Liam Ramos and other children as young as two months old.
DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis dismissed claims about inadequate medical care and resources as “false claims,” stating that parents have options to depart voluntarily using the CBP Home app and receive financial assistance.