Children account for most of those at Hutto, with some 200 housed there during the recent media tour.
Attorneys and advocates say detaining children contradicts a consent decree approved by the Supreme Court. It calls for immigration authorities to house minors in open settings such as shelters, foster homes or with relatives, and not in detention facilities.
"The children didn't choose to cross the border," Brane said. "To put them in this kind of environment I think is contrary to American values."
The American Civil Liberties Union said many of the people housed at Hutto left repressive and violent regimes in their home countries, only to be incarcerated in the United States after seeking asylum. Asylum seekers have some of the lengthiest waits, on average 200 days.
Others awaiting deportation committed a civil - not a criminal - violation by remaining in the United States, advocates say. Their stay, on average, is about 50 days, ICE officials said.
Whichever the case, Brane and others say it's wrong to put parents and children who have no criminal history in a prison-like setting. They also say its contrary to what Congress directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement to do.
"ICE was told to use alternatives, such as intensive supervised release, detention when necessary in a non-penal work environment and Hutto doesn't really meet that description," Brane said.
