Rising Child Detention Numbers Renew Debate Over Immigration

Interior view of a prison cell block with metal bars and concrete flooring — Photo: Nagel Photography / Shutterstock

Rosie O’Donnell’s old “concentration camps” claim is back in the spotlight as new data shows child detention rising again under President Trump’s second term.

Story Snapshot

O’Donnell’s 2019 “concentration camps” remark resurfaces amid new child detention data.
Independent reporting shows over 6,200 minors booked into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since 2025.
On some days this year, more than 400 children were held; the daily average is far above late 2024.
Government opacity on custody details fuels frustration across the political spectrum.

What O’Donnell Said And Why It Matters Now

Fox News’ 2019 coverage quoted Rosie O’Donnell saying United States border detention sites met “concentration camp” criteria and claiming there were “over 100,000” such camps and “between 10,000 and 13,000 children” held in them. That scale claim about camps and children lacks support in today’s reporting. But the basic concern—kids in federal detention—is again front and center because new numbers show a clear rise in minors held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement since early 2025.

The Marshall Project reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement now holds far more children on an average day than during the final stretch of the prior administration, with some days topping 400 children in custody. That metric tracks with a broader increase in overall family detention. The Boston Globe found Department of Homeland Security family detention nearly tripled from October to January, even as the government declined to share direct, child-specific custody data with the public.

What The Numbers Actually Show About Kids In Custody

El País, using Deportation Data Project records, reported more than 6,200 minors booked into Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention from January 2025 through April 2026, with a peak above 550 children in January 2026. Those totals represent bookings over time, not a single-day census. The Marshall Project’s analysis underscores a daily average near 170 children in custody so far in Trump’s second term, compared with about 25 late in the prior term.

Other reports highlight the ages and time in custody. El País reported that hundreds of babies and toddlers, including at least 500 children under age three, have passed through Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities since early 2025. The Marshall Project said at least 1,000 children were held longer than 20 days, a key benchmark tied to the Flores settlement that aims to limit how long children remain in detention. Longer stays raise legal and child-welfare concerns that span both left and right.

Data Gaps, Legal Limits, And Shared Public Frustration

The Boston Globe reported that the federal government does not provide direct, routine information about the number of children in immigration custody, forcing journalists to rely on indirect data and snapshots. That opacity deepens public distrust. Many conservatives see a system that still fails to control the border or deter illegal entry. Many liberals see a system that harms children and families. Both sides see a bureaucracy that shields itself from scrutiny and avoids clear answers.

Context also matters. The Department of Homeland Security operates two Texas family facilities—in Dilley and Karnes County—where children are detained, signaling that this is not a one-off practice but a sustained system with dedicated sites. Reuters further reported that unaccompanied children now spend far longer in custody on average than in recent years, which raises pressure on case backlogs and on the agencies responsible for placement and care.

Bottom Line For Readers

O’Donnell’s most extreme claims from 2019 still overstate the scale and remain unsupported by current records. Yet the core issue—children in detention—has grown more urgent as the daily child count and total bookings have climbed since 2025. When Washington withholds basic numbers, people assume the worst. Transparency on daily child counts, time in custody, and facility conditions would help Congress, the press, and the public judge if policy matches American values.