Immigration and Customs Enforcement Head recently visited a detention center for immigrant families, after it came to be known through the media that it was the site for 2 hunger strikes and abuse allegations.

The Director of ICE paid an unofficial, low-key visit to the Center in Texas, where mothers were protesting against their children being kept in the detention centers. They were demanding that they be released in order to go after asylum benefits.

The Director was taken on a tour around the facility where she interacted with the staff and the detainees. The center was found to be running satisfactorily according to her. She expressed confidence in the staff and other sub-contractors at the facility, where she observed that a healthy environment was being maintained. She stated that issues and problems that cropped up were quickly addressed as they arose.

Recently there were scores of complaints from mothers and children in the detention center. The children and mothers wanted to be released on bond and it was stated that 3 women were put into the medical isolation ward along with their children as punishment for protesting against the detention.

The facility in Texas has 530 beds, and is one of the 3 facilities which is for family, and here both mothers as well as children are held in detention if they are found crossing over the borders illegally.