An 18-month-old named Amalia faced a life-threatening health crisis while being held at an immigration detention center in South Texas. Last month, she became seriously ill and had to be hospitalized for severe respiratory failure. Shortly after her treatment, she was returned to detention, where she was denied essential medication prescribed by doctors, according to a recent federal lawsuit.
Amalia’s troubles began in December when immigration officers arrested her family in El Paso. They were sent to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, a facility more like a prison than a place for families seeking asylum. Experts have raised concerns about the safety of young children in such environments.
In January, Amalia’s health declined rapidly. On January 18, she was taken to a children’s hospital in San Antonio and treated for pneumonia, RSV, and Covid-19. Medical professionals were alarmed at her critical condition.
Elora Mukherjee, a law professor and director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School, represented Amalia’s family. She described the situation as “outrageous,” noting that upon returning to Dilley, officials denied Amalia the medications crucial for her recovery.
Conditions at the Dilley center have grown alarming, especially with reports of inadequate healthcare, poor living conditions, and questionable food quality. Many families have spoken out, describing long waits for medical help and the psychological toll confinement takes on children—things like nightmares and regression in development.
Amalia’s family entered the U.S. after fleeing political persecution in Venezuela. They had been living in El Paso legally, waiting for their asylum case to progress. Everything changed when they reported for a routine check-in. Suddenly, they found themselves in detention, with Amalia’s health deteriorating each day.
Despite multiple visits to the facility’s medical staff, her parents were told she just needed basic fever medication. As her health worsened and she struggled to breathe, her condition became critical. After her hospitalization and significant treatment, doctors discharged her with clear instructions on her care—instructions that were ignored when she was taken back to Dilley.
Once back in detention, the staff confiscated Amalia’s necessary medical equipment and medications. Her parents faced long lines daily to request treatment, only to receive inadequate support.
Experts have pointed out the dangers of returning a medically fragile child to a detention center, especially one lacking reliable access to prescribed medications. Medical authorities expressed grave concerns regarding her vulnerability, particularly after reports of measles outbreaks within the facility.
After exhausting options for her release, Mukherjee filed an emergency petition in federal court. Thankfully, the family was released shortly after this intervention. However, the trauma from their experience is likely to linger, creating lasting impacts on their lives.
This incident underscores a larger pattern of issues within U.S. immigration detention facilities. Many families, just like Amalia’s, continue to face immense challenges while seeking safety, raising questions about the treatment of vulnerable populations and the policies governing these centers.
For more information, you can explore the American Civil Liberties Union on immigration detainee rights or the DHS overview of family detention.
