ICE Imposes Full Lockdown at Texas Family Detention Center Amid Confirmed Measles Cases

Dilley, Texas — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has halted all movement inside the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, a family detention facility in South Texas, following the confirmation of two active measles infections among detainees, federal officials announced over the weekend.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the cases on Sunday, stating that the Texas Department of State Health Services identified the infections on January 31, 2026. The facility, located about 70 miles southwest of San Antonio, houses parents and children detained for alleged immigration violations.

"ICE Health Services Corps immediately took steps to quarantine and control further spread and infection, ceasing all movement within the facility and quarantining all individuals suspected of making contact with the infected," DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. All detainees are receiving appropriate medical care, officials added.

The Dilley center — also known as the South Texas Family Residential Center — came under recent scrutiny after the high-profile release of a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father on Saturday, the same day the measles diagnoses were confirmed. The child's detention had drawn widespread criticism and a federal judge's rebuke of immigration enforcement practices.

Measles, a highly contagious viral illness preventable by vaccination, can spread rapidly in crowded settings. The lockdown measures aim to prevent further transmission among the facility's population, which includes vulnerable children and families.

The incident occurs against the backdrop of broader concerns about public health in detention environments and ongoing national discussions around vaccination rates and immigration policies. Advocates have criticized family detention as inherently problematic, arguing that such facilities pose unnecessary health risks and that alternatives to detention should be prioritized.

17GEN4.com