The children of Dilley

By: Mica Rosenberg, ProPublica

Outlets: Minnesota Reformer

Published: February 25, 2026

Words: 3,569

Last Updated: 6 days, 7 hours ago

Body Text Preview

This story was originally published by ProPublica.

Fourteen-year-old Ariana Velasquez had been held at the immigrant detention center in Dilley, Texas, with her mother for some 45 days when I managed to get inside to meet her. The staff brought everyone in the visiting room a boxed lunch from the cafeteria: a cup of yellowish stew and a hamburger patty in a plain bun. Ariana’s long black curls hung loosely around her face …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us