Distress Signal: Migrants Detained in Texas Express Fears of Infamous El Salvador Prison
In the dusty expanse of Anson, Texas, the Bluebonnet immigrant detention center has become a focal point for a heated, ongoing saga. This week, detainees, predominantly Venezuela natives, conveyed a message of emergency to the outside world in a startling display of human spirit — a large "SOS" crafted from their own bodies.
Just ten days prior, numerous Venezuela nationals within the detention center received documents from immigration officials, alleging them as members of the infamous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Adding fuel to the fire, these individuals claim they have no affiliation with the gang and refused to sign the given documents. Despite their refusal, they were subjected to a harrowing ordeal later in the week.
On April 18th, these same detainees were loaded onto a bus, destined for the Abilene Regional Airport. However, an unexpected turn of events unfolded when the bus was sent back to Bluebonnet and the group was never allowed to board the flight. Thankfully, the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in to temporarily halt their deportations. The Department of Homeland Security opted to remain tight-lipped about this development.
Although the Supreme Court's intervention provided a temporary reprieve, concerns remain high. The detainees could potentially find themselves in the CECOT prison, a maximum-security prison notorious for its abysmal conditions and strikes, if the Supreme Court voids its temporary ban on their deportation.
Operated by the Management and Training Corporation under a contract with the ICE, Bluebonnet has seen an estimated average of 846 detainees per day in the fiscal year of 2025 according to ICE data. Despite requests for access, Reuters was unable to enter the facility. Instead, the team flew a small plane and a drone over the facility, capturing images of some detainees and observing those wearing red jumpsuits, signifying them as high-risk.
One such individual photographed on the grounds was Diover Millan, a 24-year-old Venezuelan. He was moved from the Stewart detention center in Lumpkin, Georgia, in mid-April following his arrest by immigration agents. After an extensive investigation, Reuters found no criminal history on Millan, who worked in construction.
The Department of Homeland Security alleges Millan is a "documented" member of Tren de Aragua, but has yet to provide evidence to support this claim. Another individual, Jeferson Escalona, a 19-year-old Venezuelan and former police officer, claims he has no affiliation with Tren de Aragua or any gang. Escalona was detained by local Texas police in 2025 for evading arrest in a vehicle, but it is worth noting he was returned from the U.S. migrant detention facility in Guantanamo Bay in February. The DHS claims Escalona is a "self-admitted" Tren de Aragua member, but has not produced evidence in support of this claim.
After Escalona and Millan's fateful encounter with immigration officials, they and other detainees were filled with uncertainty, fear, and desperation. One detainee described their predicament, stating, "He is desperate. He told me that when he walked out onto the field, he sat down and looked at the sky and asked God to get him out of there soon."
Overcrowding and insufficient food supplies have also been reported, with detainees attempting to sleep more to curb feelings of hunger. A representative from the facility at which Millan is currently housed, however, maintains that quality meals are served, "ensuring the recommended daily caloric intake is met."
In a recorded phone conversation from the detention center, Escalona expressed concern over the false accusations against him and his lack of gang affiliation. He also expressed his desire to return to Venezuela voluntarily, feeling threatened and unsettled in the United States.
Controversy surrounding the situation at Bluebonnet continues to escalate as advocates fight for due process and human rights for the detainees, amidst critics alleging undermined due process and the potential deportation of innocent individuals. Advocates are actively scrambling to find lawyers for the detainees set to face court hearings, and Millan remains at risk of being sent to El Salvador, depending on the outcome of his asylum case and the court hearings taking place.
As the days unfold, the fate of the detainees at Bluebonnet remains uncertain, and the fight for justice and due process continues to unfold.
- The desperate detainees at Bluebonnet, primarily Venezuela natives, fear they may potentially be sent to CECOT prison, known for its abysmal conditions, if the Supreme Court voids its temporary ban on their deportation.
- Diover Millan, a 24-year-old Venezuelan detainee, was transferred to Bluebonnet from Stewart detention center in Lumpkin, Georgia, and an investigation by Reuters found no criminal history on him.
- The Department of Homeland Security, however, alleges Millan is a "documented" member of Tren de Aragua, but has yet to provide evidence to support this claim.
- Another detainee, Jeferson Escalona, a 19-year-old Venezuelan and former police officer, has no affiliation with Tren de Aragua or any gang, according to his claims.
- Escalona expressed concern over the false accusations against him and his lack of gang affiliation in a recorded phone conversation from the detention center, and he also expressed his desire to return to Venezuela voluntarily, feeling threatened and unsettled in the United States.
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