Children detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in South Texas are being held beyond the Flores Settlement’s 20-day limit, with ongoing delays and inconsistent compliance since the start of the current administration.

Advocates insist on transparent standards and timely releases, arguing that extending detention under Flores harms children and undermines the integrity of the asylum process.

Personal testimonies describe spoiled food, inadequate medical care, and educational neglect, including a 9-year-old with autism whose therapy and schooling were disrupted and a 5-year-old who fears violence in detention.

DHS has publicly criticized Flores as politically motivated and defended Dilley as meeting detainees’ needs, while CoreCivic, the facility manager, asserts the quality of care and points to contractual obligations.

The Trump administration has argued that Flores incentivizes families to seek faster release by bringing children, while lawsuits to overturn or modify Flores have progressed, with a federal judge’s ruling in the summer and subsequent appeals.

The legal framework centers on Flores v. Meese and the 1997 Flores Settlement, which limit detention to the time needed to arrange release or deportation, commonly interpreted as no more than 20 days, though DHS has challenged that interpretation.

Court-appointed monitors report that as of January, over 900 children were detained beyond 20 days, with about 270 held for more than twice that period, signaling a systemic use of detention as a deterrent.

Advocates and lawyers warn that extended detention harms children’s development and mental health, noting regressed behavior and reduced access to education and timely medical or therapeutic services.