HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

Human Impact Project

A living database documenting reported immigration enforcement incidents and their human impact.

Children held in ICE detention far beyond 20-day legal limit

Mar 13, 2026

Children held in ICE detention far beyond 20-day legal limit

Children are being detained by ICE at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in South Texas for weeks and months, exceeding the 20-day limit established under the 1997 Flores Settlement Agreement. As of January, over 900 children were held beyond the limit, with some cases exceeding 9 months. Detainees' reports include self-harm, regression, and conditions with inadequate medical care, therapy, and education.

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