Castro Raises Questions About Texas National Guard Roles Inside ICE Detention Centers, Including Dilley and Pearsall

Guard presence and congressional scrutiny intersect at South Texas immigration facilities

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio said Texas National Guard personnel have been working inside federal immigration detention and processing facilities in South Texas, including the family detention center in Dilley. Castro’s comments, made in early February 2026, intensified scrutiny of how state resources may be supporting federal immigration enforcement operations.

Castro said he believes Guard members have been embedded at multiple sites, describing a deployment that he said includes Dilley and Pearsall. He also said some Guard personnel have been operating in civilian clothing rather than uniforms, a detail that has become central to his calls for clarity about who is performing which functions inside federally run or federally contracted detention settings.

What facilities are involved

The South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley is a large facility designed to hold families, including children, under immigration custody. The site has capacity for up to 2,400 people and has operated under private management through federal contracting arrangements. The South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall is an adult detention facility with capacity of about 1,900 detainees and is operated by a private contractor under federal contract.

Castro has framed the Guard’s reported presence as a transparency and accountability issue, seeking details about what tasks Guard members perform, where they are stationed inside facilities, and how their work interfaces with federal personnel and private contractors.

Texas Military Department directive limits communication

As congressional attention increased, a written directive circulated within the Texas National Guard instructing troops posted at an ICE facility near San Antonio not to speak with members of Congress or the media about their roles. The order directed that inquiries be handled through official public affairs channels, effectively limiting direct, on-the-ground interviews with Guard personnel during planned oversight visits.

Castro sought an opportunity to speak directly with Guard members during a scheduled visit to the Pearsall facility, arguing that the nature and scope of their assignment should be addressed through firsthand accounts as well as formal briefings.

Public health concerns complicate oversight in Dilley

Congressional inspection plans involving Dilley were disrupted after measles cases were reported at the family detention facility. Federal officials confirmed infections and implemented quarantine measures. The outbreak added urgency to questions about medical screening, isolation capacity, and continuity of care in congregate detention settings—particularly where children are held.

Key questions now facing officials

• What legal authority and operational scope Texas National Guard personnel have inside federal detention facilities
• Whether Guard members are assigned administrative support, security-related functions, or other roles
• How communication limits placed on troops affect congressional oversight and public accountability
• How detention operators and federal authorities are managing infectious-disease response while maintaining facility operations

For South Texas communities, the dispute centers on the intersection of immigration enforcement capacity, state-federal coordination, and the ability of elected officials to conduct meaningful oversight of detention conditions.