Sign up for TPR Today, Texas Public Radio's newsletter that brings our top stories to your inbox each morning.
Scores of protesters gathered Saturday outside the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley as caravans from across Texas converged to rally against what organizers describe as inhumane conditions.
The facility, located about 70 miles southwest of San Antonio and operated by a private contractor under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, houses families seeking asylum and has long drawn criticism from immigrant rights advocates.
More than 300 men, women and children are currently being detained at the facility, according to organizers.
Groups from Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley organized travel to the site, including the Bexar County Democratic Party and the League of United Latin American Citizens, along with other advocacy groups.
Cheryl Gonzales with Project Unidad, one of the organizers, said the protest is focused on conditions for children at the facility, including access to clean drinking water and medical care.
“What we want is to not only release the children, but to shut that center down," Gonzales told TPR.
Amy Hayes, a member of Singing Resistance Austin, said the effort is driven by parents.
“And we’re all moms. It’s a mom-based effort, and we saw this happening in our backyard and couldn’t stomach the idea of any child being in a detention center,” Hayes said.
Peter Bella of San Antonio said he came out over concerns about due process and conditions inside detention facilities.
“I’m anticipating that there will not be due process for a lot of the people being picked up by ICE and DPS,” Bella said. “And I’ve heard these facilities don’t necessarily provide clean water and good food. There are minimum standards that need to be met.”
He added that protesting itself feels increasingly important.
“With some of Trump’s executive orders, there’s a threat that protesting his policies could become an offense. Like any muscle, you have to exercise it to keep it,” he said.
Corrie Rosen traveled to stand in solidarity with others across South Texas opposing the facility.
“We’re here to stand with Texans who are opposing this detention center,” Rosen said. “We’ve seen before that people power can make a difference, and we’re going to keep pushing.”
Chriselda Vera, one of the founders of the Blue Bunny Brigade, said the group formed earlier this year in response to concerns about families being detained.
“It started in my living room with about 10 or 15 people,” Eldavera said. “We’re trying to support families, bring attention to cases and fill gaps for people who are afraid to leave their homes.”
She said the turnout in Dilley shows the movement is growing.
“I thought maybe a handful of people would show up, but people came from all over Texas and even out of state,” Eldevera said.
A protest outside the facility in January turned tense when Texas Department of Public Safety troopers deployed chemical irritants to disperse demonstrators, and several people were arrested.
The facility drew national attention earlier this year after a 5-year-old child was detained there and later released following public pressure and calls from lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, who has raised concerns about conditions at the center.
ICE has defended conditions at the Dilley facility. In a statement earlier this year, ICE Director Todd Lyons said it is designed to house families together in a “safe, structured and appropriate environment,” adding that detainees have access to medical care, education and other basic services while they await deportation.
