ICE Detention of Babies and Toddlers Increased Tenfold Under Trump Administration, New Data Shows

At least 500 babies and toddlers have spent time in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since President Donald Trump returned to office last year, according to a new analysis by The Marshall Project and Mississippi Today based on federal detention records.

The report found that children aged 3 and under were held in ICE custody at an average daily rate of 25 between January 2025 and March 2026 — roughly 10 times higher than during the final year of the Biden administration, when fewer than three young children were detained on an average day.

The analysis, published by MS Now, also found that at least 175 babies and toddlers were held longer than the 20-day limit established under the Flores settlement, which governs the detention of migrant children. ICE said in a May court filing that it "works to assess cases and discharge minors from custody as promptly as possible."

Families interviewed by The Marshall Project and Mississippi Today described young children becoming ill, withdrawn or developmentally delayed while detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, the primary facility currently housing migrant families.

One mother said her 2-year-old son stopped eating for nearly two weeks after being separated from his father, while another family alleged their 1-year-old son began hitting himself and stopped speaking except for saying "mom" and "dad."

Marsha Griffin, a pediatrician and co-founder of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Council on Immigrant Child and Family Health, told MS Now that infancy and toddlerhood are "probably the most harmful time of their lives to have them in detention."

CoreCivic, the private contractor operating Dilley, told the outlet that the facility provides "healthy food and clean drinking water," while ICE said children receive "appropriate food, water and medical care." Government filings also stated that children have access to toys, books and outdoor play areas, though attorneys representing detained families disputed those claims.

The report adds to growing scrutiny over how immigration enforcement policies are affecting children. A Brookings Institution study published in May estimated that more than 146,000 U.S.-citizen children have experienced the detention of at least one parent since Trump returned to office, including more than 22,000 children whose co-resident parents were both detained. Roughly 36% of affected children were younger than six.

Other reporting in recent months has documented children exposed to tear gas and flash-bang devices during immigration raids, as well as schools introducing trauma support programs for students affected by deportations and family separations.