U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sought licenses for the facilities last year after a judge in California ruled that the Karnes and Dilley centers were in violation of a court settlement governing the treatment of immigrant children.

The centers opened in 2014 to detain the large numbers of women and children crossing the border in South Texas and surrendering to Border Patrol agents to request asylum. Immigrant advocates have said the families being held there are fleeing violence in Central America and are entitled to pursue their asylum cases while living in the U.S. ICE has said the centers are necessary for them to screen families and determine who should be released.

The numbers of families entering the U.S. in the Rio Grande Valley this fall rivaled the records set in 2014.

jbuch@express-news.net

 http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...y-10692447.php