Hollywood stars and Ms. Rachel demand shutdown of Texas child detention center
A group of Hollywood celebrities and children's advocate Ms. Rachel have joined calls to shut down a Texas immigration detention centre. The Dilley Immigration Processing Center, where over 2,300 children have been held with their parents, faces growing criticism over its conditions. An open letter signed by stars like Pedro Pascal, Madonna, and Javier Bardem demands its immediate closure.
The open letter highlights severe concerns about the treatment of children at Dilley. It states that detained minors suffer trauma, neglect, and conditions violating basic human rights. Reports from inside the facility describe limited education, constant artificial lighting, and spoiled food.
Since stricter immigration policies under Trump's second term, the centre now detains an average of 170 children daily—sometimes exceeding 400. This marks a sharp rise from around 25 children per day under Biden and even fewer under Obama. Ms. Rachel, known off-screen as Rachel Accurso, has personally spoken with detained children, including a 9-year-old boy named Deiver Henao Jimenez. She called the situation 'unbelievably surreal' and never expected to witness such conditions firsthand. Her advocacy follows the detention of her friend's father and son at Dilley. The letter urges the federal government to close the facility, reunite families with their homes, and end child imprisonment. It also demands transparency, accountability, and systemic reforms to prevent future abuses.
The campaign has gained high-profile support, with celebrities and activists pushing for change. If successful, the closure of Dilley would remove one of the largest detention centres holding migrant children in the US. The outcome depends on whether federal authorities act on these demands.
