How a Planned Disney World Vacation Turned Into Four Months in Immigration Detention

ProPublicaCenter-LeftEN 5 min read 100% complete by Mica RosenbergFebruary 14, 2026 at 11:00 AM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

A ProPublica story details the experience of 9-year-old Maria Antonia Guerra Montoya and her mother, Maria Alejandra Montoya, who were detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas. Maria Antonia, a Colombian national, had planned a vacation to Disney World with her mother, who has been in the U.S. since 2018 and is seeking a green card. Instead, they were detained for four months after arriving for a planned Halloween trip. The article is based on interviews and letters from children held at the facility, which has housed over 3,500 people, half of them minors, since its reopening. The author visited Dilley in January to document the conditions in which children are being held, hearing directly from them about their experiences.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Minneapolis 30% San Antonio 40% Liam Conejo Ramos 50% Disney World ×260% Colombia ×260% Trump administration 60% United States 60% Maria Alejandra Montoya ×270% Dilley, Texas 70% Dilley Immigration Processing Center ×280% Maria Antonia Guerra Montoya ×590%

Keywords

immigration detention 100% immigrant families 90% children 80% dilley texas 70% detention center 70% colombia 60% disney world 50% visa overstay 50% minors 40%