Rep. Tony Gonzales defended the Dilley ICE detention center as criticism grows over measles cases and reported conditions inside.
SAN ANTONIO — A South Texas congressman is pushing back against growing criticism of the ICE detention facility in Dilley, calling it a “nice facility” even as other leaders and advocates raise concerns about health conditions and the detention of children.
Representative Tony Gonzales addressed the facility during an appearance Sunday on CBS’ Face the Nation, saying he has visited Dilley and other detention centers many times.
“The facility in Dilley, I’ve visited there many times,” Gonzales said. “It is a nice facility… nicer than some elementary schools in San Antonio.”
His comments come as the Dilley center remains under national scrutiny following the release of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were brought there from Minnesota.
The facility has also halted all movement in recent weeks after two measles infections were reported earlier this month.
Following the measles announcement, Congressman Joaquin Castro called for the center to be shut down, arguing it is not equipped to prevent a wider outbreak.
Immigration advocates and attorneys have also raised concerns about conditions inside the facility. In interviews with The Texas Tribune, some described cloudy tap water that they say has caused stomach issues, soap that has led to rashes, delayed medical attention, and children being held for extended periods of time.
The Dilley facility is the only immigration detention center in the country that holds families with children, and it continues to be at the center of an ongoing debate in Texas and across the nation.