Pregnant women detained at Dilley ICE facility despite federal policy prohibiting detention
Feb 20, 2026·Location: Dilley, TX

Federal judges have ordered the release of pregnant and nursing women held by ICE at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, citing violations of ICE Directive 11032.4, which prohibits detention of pregnant and nursing individuals. Congressman Joaquin Castro alleged that approximately eight pregnant women are currently being held at the facility and claimed they were hidden from his view during his visit. Castro reported cases of inadequate medical care, including a pregnant woman three months along experiencing heavy bleeding and a teenage boy not receiving proper medical attention for appendicitis. Over 1,000 pregnant, postpartum, and nursing individuals have been detained since Trump's second term began, with documented cases detailing severe conditions including miscarriages without proper medical care, shackling during pregnancy and labor, inadequate medical treatment, solitary confinement, forced family separations, and contaminated food.
Timeline
Sources
- Castro alleges poor conditions, pregnant women held at ICE detention center in Dilley
news4sanantonio.com·Feb 20, 2026·archived copy
- Federal judges decry ICE's treatment of pregnant and nursing women
- What’s Happening to Pregnant, Postpartum, and Nursing Women in ICE Custody? - Center for Reproductive Rights
reproductiverights.org·Feb 13, 2026·archived copy
- ICE enforcement practices raise questions about oversight of pregnant and postpartum detainees
- Pregnant Women in ICE Detention Suffer Miscarriages, Neglect
ACLU·Oct 27, 2025·archived copy
- dhs.gov
- 19thnews.org
- ICE keeps detaining pregnant immigrants — against federal policy
WLRN·Oct 27, 2025·archived copy
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