New @themarshallproject.org @ms.now report shows since Trump returned to office, ICE has taken a total of more than 500 babies and toddlers into custody: www.themarshallproject.org/2026/06/09/b...
www.themarshallproject.org
Young children in detention stopped eating, began hitting themselves and became ill, according to parents.
The first few years of life are pivotal for brain development, with 1 million neural connections made per second, faster than at any other age. Negative experiences at this time can have disproportionate effects, potentially damaging a child's physical and mental health for the rest of their lives.
Many of the young children were held for prolonged periods of time, including at least 175 babies and toddlers who spent more than 20 days in custody –– which is the court limit for how long children can be held.
In the previous year under Biden, no very young children were held that long.
We talked to the family of 2-year-old Kaleth, who stopped eating solid food for nearly 2 weeks while he was in ICE custody at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas.
Under Trump, 25 children aged three and younger are in ICE detention on an average day.
That's up 10x since the previous year under Biden, when the average per day was fewer than 3.
Find out more about these heartbreaking stories and the data behind them in our new report with
@shannonheffernan.bsky.social at @themarshallproject.org and @kaybguerrero.bsky.social and @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social at @ms.now: www.themarshallproject.org/2026/06/09/b...
We talked to 1-year-old Amir's family, who told us about spending four months at the Dilley facility, where Amir's speech development slowed drastically. Previously a lively and outgoing kid, Amir eventually stopped saying anything other than two words: “mom” and “dad.”
Kaleth and Amir have since been released, and are doing better now.
Still, experts said, it’s too early to tell what long-term harm awaits the over 500 babies and toddlers who ICE has detained so far under Trump.
Pediatrician Marsha Griffin said: "Our immigration system is breaking children."
