A Salvadoran migrant has been detained for 531 days …

Luisa, a migrant from El Salvador, only 9 years old, became new after filming 531 days of detention by United States immigration authorities.

Their irregular status violates America’s own immigration regulations, which establishes that migrant children must be released after serving a maximum of 20 days of detention at the Immigration and Customs Control Service (ICE), in accordance with the Flores Agreement, in force since 1997.

The girl wrote various letters to members of Congress in the nation ruled by Joe Biden, who asked to be released with her mother, who is being held in the same family residential center in South Texas, also known as Dilley for the city ​​that shelters it.

“I spent two Christmases here. I miss making food, I would like to make my own food. I learned a little English, a little. I want to learn more at school, but get out of here, ”said the young woman.

According to migrant advocates consulted by the BBC, the Salvadoran girl is the migrant girl who has been detained by ice the longest., as well as four other children aged 3 to 16, who have already accumulated more than 500 days in the same center with their mothers.

The mother and daughter arrived in the United States after escaping violence in El Salvador, for which on August 21, 2019 both crossed the Mexican border and on August 27 they were taken to the Dilley center, where two more days later they had the first interview with a migration officer.

Ariana, the girl’s mother, warned of the consequences of isolation, both for herself and her daughter. In Luisa’s case, she warned that the girl had refused meals and her behavior had changed over time, “when” the only thing she eats is fruit and sometimes not even. “Girl” is lagging behind with her education level. “

Regarding her situation, the 31-year-old woman described her anxiety situation: “I am taking pills and some time ago I had an anxiety attack. Sometimes I think it’s not me who is here. “

Dilley operates as a private, for-profit company with the capacity to house 2,400 people. Currently, 54 families remain at the site, according to estimates by Mackenzie Levy, one of Ariana’s legal representatives.

Despite the fact that a judge ordered the children’s release in June 2020, due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in institutions, ICE continued to detain families in the same center. Judge Dolly Gee, responsible for enforcing the Flores Accord, does not have the power to order the release of the adults.