Congressman Joaquin Castro calls the Pearsall ICE detention center a “prison prison,” alleging overcrowding, medical delays and secrecy as Abbott backs deportations.
PEARSALL, Texas — U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro is raising concerns about conditions inside the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall after touring the facility Friday. Castro said the center is holding more than 1,700 detainees, many of whom he said have no criminal record and have lived in the United States for years.
The Pearsall facility — known as STIPC — is about 15 minutes from the ICE detention center in Dilley, which Castro toured last week.
Castro described the Pearsall facility as an outright prison, pointing to its heavy security design and detainee treatment.
“If [Dilley is] a trailer prison, STIPC is a prison prison,” Castro said.
Castro said detainees are classified by threat level and wear different colored uniforms. He said the lowest threat category appeared to make up the majority of the facility.
Claims of coercion and confusion
Castro said detainees told him they were being treated like criminals despite not having committed serious offenses.
“One gentleman we spoke with said, ‘My only crime is being in the United States,’” Castro said.
Castro also said detainees described confusion and fear during the deportation process, including allegations that they were pressured to sign paperwork without understanding it.
“Made to sign documents authorizing their deportation without knowing what those documents were because they couldn’t speak English,” Castro said. “Even folks who had agreed to be deported who are still languishing in STIPC for months and months without being deported,” Castro said.
Overcrowding, hygiene, medical and food concerns
Castro said detainees described packed living quarters and limited access to showers and bathrooms.
“In that room, they had three toilets, two urinals and three showers for 64 people,” Castro said.
Castro said detainees raised repeated complaints about delayed medical care and lack of treatment for chronic conditions.
“Another woman that said she was a diabetic and said the medicine she needed had not been given to her for six months,” Castro said.
He also relayed allegations of unsanitary food.
“One of the women saying that twice she had gotten food that had worms in it,” Castro said.
Castro said the average stay at the Pearsall facility is nearly three months, and said he spoke with one woman who told him she has been detained for more than 15 months.
Guard deployment and oversight
Castro said the facility is operated through a combination of ICE, private contractor GEO Group, and the Texas National Guard. Castro said National Guard leadership confirmed roughly 600 Guardsmen are assigned to detention centers across Texas.
He also criticized limited access to the facility.
“Even state legislators can’t access these facilities, council members, so it’s happening in secret so there’s a tendency to get away with what you can,” Castro said.
Abbott response
In a statement, Gov. Greg Abbott’s office said the governor supports Texas’ cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
“Governor Abbott fully supports using every necessary tool and strategy to aid in the Trump Administration’s deportation of illegal immigrants. Texas is a law-and-order state, and it works hand in glove with the Trump administration every single day to uphold the laws of this country. Texas will continue to assist the Trump administration in arresting, detaining and deporting illegal immigrants.”
The Governor’s office also pointed to broader state efforts, saying Abbott has directed state agencies to coordinate with the Trump administration on border security, deployed Department of Public Safety tactical strike teams to support homeland security operations and entered into agreements with the Department of Homeland Security authorizing the Texas National Guard to help enforce immigration law.
GEO Group did not respond to KENS 5’s request for comment.
Next steps
Castro said he plans to speak with the chair of the House Oversight Committee to discuss next steps, including a push for full hearings and deeper investigation into conditions at detention facilities like Pearsall.
“I consider it an ugly period in American history,” Castro said.