Biden-Harris Administration Closes Major ICE Facility Amid Border Crisis

The Biden-Harris administration has decided to shut down the largest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in the U.S., sparking significant criticism and concern. The South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, which houses up to 2,400 illegal immigrants, is set to close within a month, reducing ICE’s capacity to detain illegal entrants at a time when border crossings are at record highs.

This move comes on the heels of an executive order issued in June aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration. However, critics argue that the order is largely ineffective due to numerous exceptions, allowing many illegal immigrants to enter the country under various conditions. The closure of the Dilley facility appears to contradict the administration’s stated goal of securing the border.

The tragic murder of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl from Houston, by two illegal immigrants who had been released into the U.S. despite available detention space, has intensified the debate over the administration’s immigration policies. The Biden-Harris administration has favored Alternatives to Detention (ATD) programs, which are intended to provide “intensive supervision” of released illegal immigrants. However, these programs have been criticized for their ineffectiveness, with many participants evading monitoring before their cases are decided.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) have introduced legislation to improve the detention and tracking of illegal immigrants. Cruz denounced the administration’s decision to close the Dilley center, labeling it an “America-last policy” that puts illegal immigrants ahead of U.S. citizens. He pointed to the Nungaray case as a direct consequence of the administration’s leniency.

The Dilley facility, opened in 2014 by the Obama-Biden administration in response to a surge in illegal crossings, has been a critical part of the U.S. immigration system. ICE has claimed that the closure is a cost-cutting measure, as the facility is among the most expensive to operate. However, critics argue that the administration should have renegotiated the contract with CoreCivic, the company managing the facility, rather than closing it.

The decision to close the Dilley center is seen as part of a broader shift in the administration’s immigration policy, influenced by progressive elements within the Democratic Party. This policy shift has coincided with a significant increase in illegal border crossings, with over 821,000 family unit encounters reported in fiscal year 2023 alone.

As the Biden-Harris administration faces mounting scrutiny over its handling of the border crisis, the closure of the Dilley center highlights the ongoing challenges and debates surrounding U.S. immigration policy. Critics argue that the decision will exacerbate the current situation, making it more difficult to detain and deport illegal immigrants and ensuring that more individuals are released into the country.