1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing to urgently demand your immediate intervention regarding the detention of a 2‑month‑old infant, Juan, at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley. The fact that a newborn is being held in an ICE facility is unconscionable and violates every standard of child welfare, medical safety, and basic human decency. Infants this young require constant medical monitoring, stable temperature control, safe feeding conditions, and uninterrupted access to pediatric care. ICE detention centers are not equipped to meet these needs. They are institutional environments with documented issues of inadequate medical staffing, inconsistent sanitation, and conditions that are stressful even for adults. For a 2‑month‑old, these conditions are dangerous. Detaining a newborn is not only morally indefensible—it contradicts the spirit and requirements of the Flores Settlement, which mandates that children be held in the least restrictive setting appropriate to their age and needs. A detention center is never an appropriate environment for a baby who cannot sit up, regulate body temperature, or communicate distress. I am demanding the following immediate actions: 1. Secure the immediate release of Juan and his family from the Dilley facility. A 2‑month‑old should never be held in detention under any circumstances. 2. Initiate an investigation into how an infant this young came to be detained in the first place. This includes reviewing intake procedures, medical assessments, and compliance with Flores standards. 3. Require ICE to report publicly and transparently on the presence of infants and medically vulnerable children in custody. The public has a right to know when babies are being detained. 4. Pursue legislative and oversight actions to prohibit the detention of infants and toddlers entirely. No newborn should ever again be placed in a facility designed for adult detention. This is not a partisan issue — it is a moral one. A 2‑month‑old baby is currently in federal custody in conditions that no pediatrician would deem safe. This is a crisis that demands your voice and your leadership. No one can claim to be “for the children” and allow such a human rights violation of a baby. Please act immediately to protect Juan and to ensure that no other infant is subjected to this treatment.