Texas state police on Wednesday deployed tear gas to disperse protesters gathered outside the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley. Around 100 demonstrators had assembled to demand the release of a 5-year-old Ecuadoran boy and others detained amid a broader immigration enforcement crackdown.
Protesters carried signs accusing federal authorities of terrorizing communities. Local elected official Christina Morales called for greater political attention to immigration issues, referencing ICE funding and the upcoming midterm elections.
Riot-equipped officers fired tear gas canisters to clear the area, with one landing near AFP journalists and temporarily incapacitating one of them.
Earlier, Democratic lawmakers Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett inspected the facility to visit the child, Liam Conejo Ramos, and approximately 1,100 other detainees. Castro said the boy appeared emotionally distressed. A federal judge has temporarily blocked their deportation as calls grow for their release.
