In addition to the border now being closed under president Donald Trump, a South Texas immigration detention center is set to reopen in Dilley.

It's one of two centers that will be re-opening here in Texas, and both will be able to hold families, which was not the case under Joe Biden.

"The Biden administration closed, and refused to consider detention of illegal alien families" said George Fishman, senior legal fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies.

By shutting down the family centers, the Biden administration sent a clear message across the world that if you came to the U.S. as a 'family' you would not be detained, but instead would be released into the country.

But unfortunately, detention is not the only solution.

"Even if you now have family detention centers available, the children and minors can't be detained for more than 20 days" Fishman told KTRH. That's due to the Flores Settlement Agreement, which was put in place by the Clinton administration in 1996.

The good news is, ICE is planning on opening detention centers across the country.

"ICE uses about close to 200 detention facilities around the country" noted Fishman, "My understanding is these two facilities being brought back on-line for family detention would at least for now, would be the only two family facilities."
One will be in Dilley, the other in Karnes City.

Houston's Morning News with Jimmy Barrett