Overview

• Fourteen immigrant families, including children as young as one, are currently detained at the Karnes County Immigration Processing Center in Texas.
• Families detained include individuals from Colombia, Romania, Iran, Angola, Russia, Armenia, Turkey, and Brazil, with some having lived in the U.S. for up to a decade.
• The practice, previously curtailed under the Biden administration, has drawn sharp criticism from medical professionals, human rights advocates, and legal experts for its harmful effects on children and families.
• The Karnes facility, operated by private prison corporation Geo Group, has a capacity of 1,328 people and is under contract with the federal government until 2029, generating significant revenue.
• A second detention facility in Dilley, Texas, run by CoreCivic, will also house immigrant families, with both centers representing a return to policies widely condemned during prior administrations.