U.S. immigration officials have halted all movement and imposed quarantines at the nation's largest family immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, after two detainees were confirmed to have active measles infections, raising fears for the health of hundreds of children held there.
The measles cases were identified late last week at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, also known as the South Texas Family Residential Center, which holds parents and children detained over alleged immigration violations about 70 miles south of San Antonio.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said medical staff with ICE Health Services Corps immediately isolated the infected people, stopped transfers in and out of the facility, and quarantined anyone believed to have been in contact with them in an effort to contain the virus.
Officials have not said whether the infected detainees are children or adults, or exactly how many people have been placed under quarantine, according to the Washington Post.
Crowded Conditions Raise Disease Spread Risks
The Dilley center, run under contract with ICE, is currently the primary facility used to detain families, including many young children, making the measles diagnosis especially alarming for pediatric health experts and immigrant advocates.
Crowded dorm-style living, shared bathrooms, and group activities create what one public health expert described as a "near-universal risk of exposure" in detention settings when a highly contagious disease such as measles is introduced.
Measles can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and the virus can linger in a room for up to two hours after the person has left, according to U.S. infection-control guidance.
DHS has said all detainees at Dilley are receiving appropriate medical care and that on-site medical teams are working with the Texas Department of State Health Services to monitor symptoms and provide measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccinations where needed.
State health officials confirmed the two cases and said they are supporting ICE with vaccine supplies and technical guidance. Federal checklists for measles in correctional facilities advise halting visits and transfers, isolating suspected cases in dedicated medical areas, and ensuring that only staff with proven immunity enter isolation spaces, the CDC reported.
Growing Measles Cases Nationwide Intensify Concerns
The Texas outbreak comes after the United States recorded its highest number of measles cases in decades in 2025, with more than 2,200 infections nationwide and over 700 cases in West Texas alone, including two child deaths and nearly 100 hospitalizations, according to state and federal data.
Health experts warn that vaccination gaps among migrants and the general public increase the risk of serious complications, especially for young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.
Lawyers and child advocates say they are deeply worried about both the physical and mental health of families now confined under quarantine at Dilley, arguing that detention is a policy choice that exposes children to preventable health threats.
They are calling for greater transparency about conditions inside the facility, broader vaccination efforts, and alternatives to detention for families while immigration cases proceed, as per CBS News.
