Children are being kept in immigration custody longer than allowed, advocates say

Khelin Marcano, along with her husband Stiven Prieto and their 1-year-old daughter Amalia, recently experienced a harrowing ordeal while detained at the Dilley immigration detention center in Texas. The family was held for 60 days, three times longer than the legal limit established by the Flores Settlement, a 1997 agreement that restricts the detention of children in immigration custody to 20 days.

During their time at Dilley, Marcano and her family faced numerous challenges. They were among approximately 1,400 individuals being held at the facility, which had been closed during the Biden administration but reopened as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Advocates have raised concerns about the conditions at Dilley, citing inadequate access to clean water, nutritious food, and medical care.

Marcano recounted a distressing incident where her daughter, Amalia, developed a fever while in detention. Despite Marcano’s repeated requests for medical attention, the staff initially dismissed the symptoms. Eventually, after Amalia collapsed in her mother’s arms, she was transported to a hospital where she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and a respiratory virus.

In a habeas petition filed against the government, Marcano and her attorney alleged that the Dilley facility lacked basic hygiene and nutrition, with bugs found in the food and tap water smelling strongly of chlorine. The family resorted to purchasing bottled water for their daughter due to concerns about the quality of the tap water.

The family’s detention and the circumstances they faced have sparked renewed scrutiny of the treatment of immigrant families in government custody. Marcano’s attorney, Elora Mukherjee, criticized the Trump administration for holding children and families in detention for extended periods, highlighting the lack of adequate resources and care available to detainees.

Despite their traumatic experience, Marcano, Prieto, and Amalia have been released from detention and are now awaiting their first court date in 2027. The family entered the U.S. using the Biden-era Customs and Border Protection app in 2024 and were granted parole to live in the country while applying for asylum. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the family’s release under the Biden administration and defended its actions in detaining them.

As Marcano and her family seek to rebuild their lives after their ordeal, their story serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by immigrant families in navigating the U.S. immigration system. Their resilience and determination to seek a better future for themselves and their daughter despite the obstacles they have encountered are a testament to the strength and courage of immigrant families striving for a better life. The Marcano family recently filed a habeas petition after their harrowing experience at a detention facility. According to their complaint, hospital staff provided a nebulizer and Albuterol to treat Amalia’s respiratory distress, but upon returning to the Dilley facility, the staff confiscated both the nebulizer and medication. Marcano expressed her frustration, stating, “They took her treatment away. Why does this happen to us if we have done everything right? I was begging the officers to please help me get out of there, and no one listened to me.”

Fortunately, the family was released together shortly after filing the petition. While at the facility, Marcano encountered other families with pregnant women and children as young as 2 months old. This highlights the dire situation faced by many immigrant families seeking asylum and legal relief in prolonged detention.

In Minneapolis, a similar situation unfolded where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were detained on their way home from school. Local school officials revealed that immigration authorities had also detained four other students from the district, including 11-year-old Elizabeth Zuna Caisaguano and her mother. Attorney Bobby Painter shared that they were swiftly taken to the Dilley facility within 24 hours of being detained.

Immigrant advocates and attorneys have raised concerns about the long-term effects of detention on children. Families have reportedly been held for months, with Mukherjee, Marcano’s attorney, emphasizing that detaining children when it’s not in their best interest can have lasting repercussions.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended their actions, stating that being in detention is a choice and encouraging parents to use the CBP Home App for self-deportation. Despite the challenges faced during their detention, Marcano noted that her daughter has shown improvement since their release, no longer crying at night like she did in the detention center.

As the family navigates what lies ahead, Marcano expressed a mix of gratitude for their current situation and fear for the uncertainties that may arise. The hope is to be left alone and move forward without further interventions, but the lingering apprehension remains. The impact of climate change on global food security is becoming increasingly evident, with extreme weather events, shifting growing seasons, and changing precipitation patterns all posing significant challenges to agricultural production. As the world’s population continues to grow, the need for sustainable and resilient food systems has never been more urgent.

One of the most immediate impacts of climate change on food security is the increase in extreme weather events. Droughts, floods, hurricanes, and heatwaves can all devastate crops, leading to food shortages and price spikes. In recent years, we have seen the devastating effects of these events on food production in regions around the world, from the Midwest of the United States to sub-Saharan Africa.

Another major challenge posed by climate change is the shifting growing seasons. As temperatures rise and weather patterns change, the optimal planting and harvesting times for crops are also changing. This can lead to reduced yields and lower-quality crops, further exacerbating food insecurity. Farmers are being forced to adapt by changing the types of crops they grow or investing in new technologies to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

Changing precipitation patterns are also having a significant impact on food security. In some regions, rainfall is becoming more erratic, leading to water scarcity and reduced crop yields. In other regions, heavy rainfall is causing flooding, which can destroy crops and infrastructure. These changes in precipitation patterns are making it increasingly difficult for farmers to predict and plan for the growing season, further complicating efforts to ensure a steady food supply.

To address these challenges, governments, organizations, and individuals must work together to build more resilient food systems. This includes investing in sustainable agriculture practices, improving water management, and developing new crop varieties that are more resilient to climate change. It also means supporting smallholder farmers, who are often the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, by providing them with access to resources and technology that can help them adapt to changing conditions.

Ultimately, the impact of climate change on global food security is a complex and multifaceted issue that requires a coordinated and holistic approach. By working together to address the root causes of food insecurity and build more resilient food systems, we can ensure that future generations have access to a reliable and sustainable food supply.