Immigrant Family Faces Challenges Amid Detention Policies

Joel Andre, a 17-year-old from the Democratic Republic of Congo, currently resides near Portland, Maine. He shares a home with his younger sister, Estafania, and their focus is on the World Cup this summer. Yet thoughts of their sister Olivia, aged 19, and detained in Texas, weigh heavily on them.

Last November, Joel, Estafania, their sister Olivia, and their mother, Carine, were held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas. While Joel and the others were released in March, Olivia remained in detention. This situation resulted from the family’s flight from Congo due to Carine’s activism against the government.

In Dilley was very hard, Joel said, describing inadequate food and poor water quality. As their lawyer Elora Mukherjee points out, the family left their home country seeking political asylum.

In 2022, upon arrival in the U.S., the family was vetted and released. They complied with every requirement, but in 2025, a judge ordered their deportation. In fear, they attempted to go to Canada, but were denied U.S. re-entry and sent to Dilley.

Mukherjee notes Dilley’s substandard conditions – reports of poor water and food reflect testimony from many detainees. Congressman Joaquin Castro visits Dilley frequently and calls for its closure, citing poor treatment of children there.

Under President Trump’s administration, Dilley reopened with a CoreCivic contract valued at $180 million per year. CoreCivic denies claims of substandard conditions, asserting that facilities meet federal standards.

The family faced hardship, spending almost four months detained. This was contrary to the Flores Settlement, which mandates the swift release of children, typically within 20 days.

Despite efforts to close Dilley, federal courts have blocked White House attempts to end the Flores Settlement. Castro expresses concern over the conditions reported by detainees, describing a lack of health care and education.

Castro also highlights governmental plans to expand family detention centers by adding 30,000 beds. The Department of Homeland Security denies claims of poor conditions, asserting detainees receive adequate care and resources.

Amidst these challenges, a recent call brought news of Olivia’s release from detention. The family’s emotional reunion at the Portland International Jetport marked a rare happy ending in a complex situation.