A group of House Democrats, led by Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, visited an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dilley, Texas, on Tuesday, with 111 lawmakers subsequently demanding its closure over allegations of inhumane conditions for detained families including children as young as 2 months old.
Rep. Luz Rivas, D-Calif., speaking at a press conference in Spanish, said seeing ICE's actions was personal for her as the daughter of Mexican immigrants and argued that "for the people of the United States, we don't want to see our government, or ICE officials, acting like domestic terrorists."
The lawmakers accused the Trump administration of holding families in substandard conditions. A letter sent earlier this month detailed allegations including contaminated food described as containing worms and mold, tap water that made children sick, lights kept on throughout the night preventing sleep, and delayed or denied medical care even for life-threatening emergencies involving children.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans have pushed back against Democratic rhetoric surrounding immigration enforcement. GOP allies of President Donald Trump have accused Democrats of encouraging resistance to federal officers, drawing connections between political messaging and incidents involving ICE agents this year.
The Department of Homeland Security provided an alternative account of the Dilley facility's conditions in a press release reviewed by Fox News Digital. "The Dilley facility is retrofitted for families," DHS stated. "Children have access to teachers, classrooms, and curriculum booklets for math, reading, and spelling. They have access to age-appropriate books, toys, and outdoor activities."
DHS described infant care provisions including formula, baby food, bottles, diapers, wipes, hygiene items, sippy cups, and cribs. The department also accused Democrats of spreading misinformation about conditions at the facility.
What the Left Is Saying
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, called on Americans to resist what she described as federal policies. "It's so important that we not acquiesce to this, this fascist administration, this dictator in the Oval Office," Pressley said. She argued that "history has shown us time again, appeasement does not work" and that defeating authoritarianism requires "defiance."
Pressley also called for structural changes to immigration enforcement. "We have to abolish ICE," she said. "And then I'm going to take it one step further and say any of those agents that have contributed to and caused the injury, the harm, and even fatalities, they must also be held accountable." She advocated eliminating qualified immunity for federal law enforcement officers.
Rivas noted her Los Angeles district experienced more ICE raids than anywhere else in her county. The Democratic letter stated that parents reported their children experiencing severe depression, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation as a result of conditions at the facility.
What the Numbers Show
111 House Democrats signed the letter demanding closure of the Dilley detention center, representing a significant bloc within the Democratic caucus in the 119th Congress.
The facility is operated by CoreCivic, a private prison company contracted by federal immigration authorities. According to DHS, all family housing at the Texas facility includes provisions for safety, security, and medical needs as required under the contract.
This marks the second major congressional delegation visit to an ICE family detention facility this year, following previous visits that also resulted in demands for facility closures from Democratic lawmakers.
The Bottom Line
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between Congress and the executive branch over immigration enforcement practices. Democrats are seeking both immediate changes at individual facilities and broader reforms to federal immigration law.
DHS has not yet provided a direct response to Rivas' specific comments comparing ICE officials to domestic terrorists. The department's prior statements defended conditions at Dilley as appropriate for family detention.
What happens next: Congressional oversight committees may schedule hearings on the allegations raised in the Democratic letter. The White House is expected to continue defending its immigration enforcement priorities while pushing for additional funding for DHS operations including ICE detention capacity.