Dexter Denied Entry to Facility Holding Detained Oregon Child and Family

DILLEY, TEXAS - Today, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) was blocked from conducting oversight at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas despite providing sufficient notice. Dexter traveled to see the Crespo-Gonzalez family, Oregonians who were detained earlier this month while taking their sick seven-year-old child to urgent care.

The family is being held at the Dilley facility, which had active measles casesas recently as this week and numerous reports of inhumane conditions, including contaminated food and limited access to clean drinking water. The family has asylum status and an active court date.

"DHS has something to hide. They know that if Americans could see what is happening inside this facility, the policy of imprisoning children and families would collapse overnight," said Dexter. "They blocked me today because they do not want accountability. But they picked the wrong person. I will come back. My colleagues will come back. And we will keep showing up again and again until the American people know exactly what is being done to children with their tax dollars."

Dexter will return tomorrow to the Dilley facility. Additionally, she will join Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) for an oversight visit at the South Texas Detention Complex in Pearsall.

Congresswoman Maxine Dexter is a first-term lawmaker and one of six Democratic physicians serving in Congress. She serves as the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations as well as on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

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