Nearly 600 immigrant children were held at a Texas family detention center beyond court-mandated time limits in recent months, according to court documents filed Friday. The children at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley faced inadequate food, medical care, and mental health services during extended stays.

Data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement showed that about 595 children were held beyond the 20-day custody limit established under the Flores settlement during December and January. Of these, approximately 265 children were detained for more than 50 days, and 55 children remained in custody for more than 100 days. This represents an increase from earlier government disclosures showing 400 children held beyond the limit from August to September.

The facility also experienced virus outbreaks and lockdowns during December and January, according to attorney reports and site visits. Court filings detailed concerning cases, including a 13-year-old girl who attempted suicide after staff allegedly withheld prescribed antidepressants and denied her request to join her mother. Discharge documents obtained by The Associated Press described incidents of self-harm, though the government reported no placements on suicide watch.

The number of children at Dilley has decreased in recent weeks, with about 85 children remaining as of mid-March, down from approximately 280 observed in early February. However, attorneys say conditions remain problematic, with reports of inadequate legal counsel and poor medical care access.

The case stems from a 1985 lawsuit that led to the Flores settlement in 1997, which established standards for immigrant child detention and the 20-day custody limit. The Trump administration has sought to end the settlement, with the Department of Homeland Security calling it "a tool of the left that is antithetical to the law." The agency stated that detention "is a choice" and that the facility provides basic necessities while working to expedite deportations.

Chief U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee of the Central District of California is scheduled to hold a hearing on the case later this month to address compliance with the court-ordered standards.