A measles outbreak has been reported at the Dilley family detention facility, managed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This news comes amidst ongoing public concern over the treatment of young children at the South Texas Family Residential Center. According to immigration attorney Eric Lee, ICE informed Senate Judiciary staff of the outbreak over the weekend, confirming at least two cases. The facility houses over 400 children, bringing the total number of detainees to approximately 1,200. The harsh conditions inside the facility have been described by Lee, including food contaminated with worms and bugs, and water with a putrid smell that families are forced to mix with baby formula. Lee represents a family of six, including several young children, who have endured a birthday celebration within the facility. One of the children, who has spent a birthday in the facility, suffered from appendicitis and was initially given a pain reliever by staff. The child's condition worsened, leading to an emergency hospital visit for appendectomy. Congressman Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, raised concerns at a press conference outside San Antonio City Hall about a 2-month-old baby detained at the facility for four or five days. The resurgence of measles in the United States is a cause for alarm. According to a report by University of Chicago Medicine, increasing numbers of measles infections, driven by misinformation about vaccines and reduced vaccination rates, have been reported over the last five years. As of May 2025, over 1,000 new cases and three measles-related deaths have been recorded in the U.S., surpassing the total cases reported in 2024. The World Health Organization highlights that most measles deaths globally occur among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children under the age of 5. Confined environments, such as the Dilley facility, increase the risk of outbreaks due to congregate housing, limited ventilation, and potentially lower vaccine coverage compared to the general population, as noted by the Centers for Disease Control.
