U.S. Congressman Marc Veasey visits ICE detention center in Alvarado
Congressman Veasey visits North Texas ICE detention center
U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey visited the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado on Tuesday after concerns were raised about the treatment of detainees. FOX 4's Steven Dial has more.
ALVARADO, Texas - The U.S. Congressman who represents parts of Dallas County and Tarrant County visited a North Texas ICE detention facility on Tuesday.
What we know:
U.S. Congressman Marc Veasey, who represents the 33rd District of Texas, visited the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado on Tuesday morning.
Veasey's trip was part of a congressional oversight visit in response to concerns over the treatment of detainees and conditions within the facility.
Around 1,000 detainees are currently housed in the Prairieland Detention Center.
What they're saying:
"It’s too slow. It’s too cumbersome and disorganized," Veasey said of communication inside Prairieland's walls after his tour.
Veasey said the physical conditions within the facility are fine, but detainees he spoke to within the detention center raised concerns about a lack of communication with their families and legal counsel since being detained.
Marc Veasey
"The dad and newborn have come here to see the mom, and they won’t let her have contact."
Other detainees told Veasey that they've been delayed in receiving medical attention, such as a delay in being given ibuprofen.
"As far as the President's comments a few weeks ago saying we are only going after the bad guys, we have a lot of people in here with no record, and they are being deported," Veasey continued.
Prairieland Detention Center ambush trial
Dig deeper:
The Prairieland Detention Center has been in the news in March thanks to a high-profile trial in Tarrant County.
Featured
Mixed verdict reached in North Texas ICE center Antifa terror attack trial
Jurors have reached a mixed verdict in the trial for nine people accused of a 2025 "ambush" attack on a North Texas ICE detention facility. Defendant Benjamin Song was found guilty of attempted murder. The other eight defendants were acquitted on that charge. However, they were found guilty on other charges.
The nine defendants in this case – Daniel Estrada, Ines Soto, Elizabeth Soto, Maricela Rueda, Meagan Morris, Savanna Batten, Benjamin Song, Zachary Evetts, and Autumn Hill – each faced a myriad of charges related to the events that happened outside the Prairieland ICE Detention Facility in Alvarado, Texas on July 4, 2025.
Authorities alleged fireworks were ignited, buildings and vehicles were damaged, and federal officers were fired upon. Alvarado Police Department Lt. Thomas Gross was shot in the neck while responding to a 911 call. He survived his injuries and has since returned to active duty.
The U.S. Department of Justice later confirmed that Benjamin Song was found guilty of the most serious charge of attempted murder for shooting Alvarado Police Department Lt. Thomas Gross. No one else was found guilty on that charge. However, they were all found guilty on other charges.
Eight of the nine defendants, excluding Daniel Estrada, were found guilty of rioting, providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to use and carry an explosive, and using and carrying explosives during a riot.
Estrada was not present on the night of the incident. He was found guilty of corruptly concealing a document or record and conspiracy to conceal documents. His wife, Rueda, was also found guilty of conspiracy to conceal documents.
Man dies shortly after ICE detainment
Veasey has previously spoken out about another ICE detention case in North Texas, one that resulted in the death of the detainee less than 24 hours after his arrest.
Featured
Richardson father of 6, who served with U.S. forces, dies in ICE custody one day after arrest
An Afghan wartime ally and father of six died Saturday morning less than 24 hours after being taken into federal immigration custody in North Texas, according to family members and officials.
Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, 41, was arrested by ICE agents on March 13, citing Paktyawal’s 2025 arrests for SNAP fraud and theft. While the agency pointed to this "criminal history" as the basis for his detention, records show Paktyawal was never convicted of those charges.
Late Friday night, Paktyawal began complaining of chest pains and shortness of breath while being held at the ICE Dallas Field Office. He was transported to Parkland Hospital, where an ER doctor recommended he stay for observation.
On Saturday morning, hospital staff noticed Paktyawal’s tongue had become severely swollen while he was eating breakfast. Despite lifesaving efforts, he was pronounced dead at 9:10 a.m.
Veasey sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security shortly after Paktyawal's death.
"Mr. Paktyawal’s death underscores a broader moral and strategic obligation. When individuals risk their lives to assist the United States, we owe them safety, dignity, and fair treatment. Failing to uphold these basic obligations sends a troubling signal to current and prospective allies abroad, particularly in regions critical to U.S. national security, who may consider cooperating with U.S. forces," part of the letter read.
The Source: Information in this story came from Marc Veasey's official website and previous FOX 4 reporting.