AP delivered fresh, deeply reported insight into conditions inside ICE’s massive family detention center in Dilley, Texas — going beyond routine coverage to reveal intimate details of life in custody.
Garance Burke was first to report on a 13-year-old Colombian girl who attempted to take her own life while detained. Through persistent reporting, Burke obtained the girl’s drawings and medical records and interviewed her mother, providing a rare and heartbreaking window into the psychological toll of detention on children.
Valerie Gonzalez, who had spent months speaking with detainees and tracking releases, reported from a migrant shelter in Laredo, Texas, where families often arrive with little money and few resources after leaving detention. Adam Geller wove the reporting into a compelling narrative that blended personal stories with data, policy context and a rare interview with a whistleblower.
The project was strengthened by contributions across borders and formats: Fernando Vergara photographed subjects in Bogotá, Damian Dovarganes documented related scenes in Southern California, Aaron Kessler contributed data analysis and Serginho Roosblad added video.
The result was an exclusive, human-centered account of detention that illuminated the emotional and systemic consequences of immigration policy.
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