Measles spread inside an ICE detention center for children, and officials are bracing for major consequences

Confirmed measles cases have been identified inside a family immigration detention center in Texas, prompting urgent calls for the facility to be shut down. As reported by The Guardian, at least two cases were confirmed at the Dilley facility in South Texas, which houses detained children alongside their parents.

Texas health officials said they are assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by providing measles vaccine doses to the facility. The outbreak has raised alarm because measles is highly contagious and spreads rapidly in confined environments like detention centers.

The Dilley facility has since been placed on lockdown, with officials restricting movement inside the center. Advocates say the outbreak highlights long-standing concerns about the safety of detaining children and families in such conditions.

Lawmakers and experts warn detention centers fuel outbreaks

Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro of San Antonio called for the detention center to be shut down immediately, arguing it is not equipped to manage a measles outbreak. He said families who have committed no crimes should not be exposed to conditions that put their health at risk. Coverage of other ICE incidents has been part of wider news reporting, including a case in New Orleans that raised concerns about enforcement practices.

Public health experts echoed those concerns. Eric Reinhart, a political anthropologist and psychiatrist, described detention centers as environments that accelerate disease spread due to crowding, limited medical care, and constant population movement.

Reinhart said measles spreads easily when people from different regions are forced into close quarters, especially when vaccination histories are unclear. He added that many detainees may have had limited access to healthcare before arriving in the U.S.

Officials said they attempted to limit transmission by halting movement within the facility. Reinhart argued such steps are ineffective unless staff movement is also restricted, saying outbreaks often cannot be controlled without removing people from detention.

The outbreak comes amid a broader surge of measles cases across the United States. In January alone, the country recorded roughly a quarter of all confirmed cases from all of last year.

As of Friday, there were 588 confirmed measles cases nationwide. South Carolina has reported 876 cases and at least 18 hospitalizations, already surpassing last year’s West Texas outbreak totals. Other states are also seeing continued spread, with Arizona and Utah reporting 239 and 251 cases, respectively.

Doctors have raised concerns about what they see as a lack of clear national leadership on vaccination messaging. Jason Bowling, a professor of infectious diseases at UT Health San Antonio, described the situation as frightening and said vaccination remains the most effective preventative measure.

Hospitals in affected states are adjusting operations by expanding telehealth, requiring masks, and moving testing outside emergency rooms. Efforts to adapt reflect lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, even as policymakers debate immigration and health issues amid broader political news, such as recent global diplomatic warnings from China to the U.S.