Children’s entertainer Ms. Rachel has a new cause: Freeing kids from ICE detention
Children’s entertainer Ms. Rachel has a new cause: Freeing kids from ICE detention
A young boy’s voice trembled through a shaky video connection, expressing frustration. “I don’t want to be here anymore,” he said. “Nothing is good here.” This was Deiver Henao Jimenez, a 9-year-old held with his parents at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in South Texas. His words highlighted concerns about the facility’s conditions, which include limited educational opportunities, constant lighting, and food that sometimes spoils. The child’s emotional state shifted during a recent call with someone who claimed to want to assist: Ms. Rachel.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” the entertainer said, her tone gentle and familiar to millions of children. “A lot of people want to try to help.”
Deiver shared that he missed his friends and found the food at Dilley unappealing, causing stomach discomfort. However, his biggest worry was not the meals or the environment, but the chance to compete in a spelling bee. Before his detention, he had triumphed in his school’s competition and secured a regional third-place finish, earning a spot at New Mexico’s state event in May. “I want to leave and go to the spelling bee,” he insisted.
Ms. Rachel’s advocacy takes a local turn
Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, described the experience as “unbelievably surreal.” She spoke with NBC News in an exclusive interview, recounting how the child’s face and voice struck her deeply. “It broke me, and it was something I never thought I’d encounter in life,” she said. The encounter sparked a new commitment to the issue, as Accurso began collaborating with legal experts and immigration rights advocates to push for Dilley’s closure.
Accurso’s awareness of Dilley came in January, when federal agents detained the father of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos in Minneapolis. The child’s image, wearing a blue bunny hat and a Spider-Man backpack, spread rapidly online, bringing national focus to the facility’s treatment of families. Though the Conejo family was eventually released, their asylum application was recently denied.
Expanded immigration policies and their impact
According to court-appointed monitors, the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown saw over 2,300 children detained with their parents in the first year of its expansion, with Dilley serving as the primary site. Many have spent weeks or even months in the facility, facing challenges like inadequate nutrition, medical delays, and emotional distress. Parents and legal representatives have reported children losing weight after discovering worms in their food, growing anxious during guard patrols, and waiting hours for single doses of medication. Some have required urgent medical care while in custody.
Accurso has long championed children’s welfare globally, addressing issues in Gaza, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her efforts raised substantial funds but also drew criticism from those who felt she prioritized certain conflicts. She consistently defended her work, stating, “I see all children as precious and equal.” The recent meeting with Deiver and another child at Dilley intensified her focus on domestic issues.
A decline in numbers and ongoing debates
Although the number of children at Dilley has dropped to around 50 this week—down from approximately 500 in January—The New York Times reported the decline follows months of advocacy pressure. Human rights groups, Democratic lawmakers, and legal teams have all contributed to this shift. Some families have been released in the U.S., while others have been deported. The exact reasons for the drop remain unclear, but the federal government has maintained that Dilley offers comprehensive care tailored to families’ needs.
The Department of Homeland Security dismissed accounts of poor conditions as “mainstream media lies,” yet Accurso’s personal encounter with detained children has deepened her resolve. Her efforts are now centered on closing Dilley and ensuring families return to their communities. This mission was partly enabled by journalist Lidia Terrazas, who arranged the video call through her coverage for the Spanish-language network N+ Univision.