The Department of Homeland Security officials were commended for releasing hundreds of detained mothers on bond or with electronic monitoring ankle bracelets, and said that it was an important step towards ending the practice of detaining mothers and children.

But critics stated that the administration’s decision to release these people was not enough, the detention centers which were described by them as ‘jail-like’ should be closed permanently,  they said. The detention centers have been in the centre of news recently, with many critics stating that the facilities in them were abysmal.

Members of the Congress stated they would not stop pressing the administration until immigration officers stop the detentions entirely.

“We remain strongly convinced that no family – regardless of status – should be housed in jail-like facilities for any length of time,” they said in a joint statement. Hundreds of detained mothers and children have been released by federal officers from the nation’s family detention centers as part of a promise to end long-term detention of migrant families.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say the move is part of the Homeland Security Secretary’s plan to end a controversial long-term detention of migrant mothers and children who have demonstrated they have reason to fear persecution if returned to their home countries.