The Children of Dilley

ProPublicaCenter-LeftEN 16 min read 100% complete by Mica RosenbergFebruary 9, 2026 at 11:30 AM

AI Summary

long article 16 min

Fourteen-year-old Ariana Velasquez and her mother, Stephanie Valladares, were detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, run by CoreCivic, for approximately 45 days. Ariana, a freshman from Hicksville, New York, was falling behind in school and missed her younger siblings, Jacob and Gianna. The family, originally from Honduras, had been living in the U.S. where Stephanie had applied for asylum. The detention separated Ariana and Stephanie from Jacob and Gianna, causing emotional distress for all involved. Ariana expressed feelings of sadness and depression due to her confinement at the center, which is located nearly 2,000 miles from her home. The Dilley facility was initially opened during the Obama administration to house families crossing the border.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Obama administration 40% Honduras 40% Gianna (Gigi) ×250% CoreCivic 50% Dilley Immigration Processing Center 60% Texas 60% New York ×260% Jacob ×460% Stephanie Valladares ×270% Hicksville ×370% Dilley ×380% Ariana Velasquez ×690%

Keywords

immigrant rights 90% family separation 80% immigrant detention 80% private prisons 70% asylum seekers 70% detention centers 60% immigration policy 50%