'Like The Handmaid's Tale': Footage Shows Women and Children Pleading to Leave Texas Facility

The imagery struck a nerve. Viewers online quickly drew comparisons to Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale, pointing to the colour-coded clothing and tightly controlled movement visible in the footage.

The Saturday demonstration was ignited by the arrival of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was reportedly used as 'bait' by federal agents during a controversial arrest in Minnesota earlier that week.

The protest highlights a seismic shift in enforcement, as Texas now accounts for one in four ICE arrests nationwide since the 2025 inauguration.

While ICE has not publicly commented on the incident, the images have intensified scrutiny of family detention practices in Texas, particularly as enforcement operations expand under the Trump administration.

Women, Children Beg To Let Them Out

In the viral video, the chants came from multiple sections of the ICE Texas facility, according to accounts from those present. Detainees raised slogans as they stood in groups within fenced yards. Immigration attorney Eric Lee, who represents several families at the site, said hundreds appeared to be taking part. The videos do not explain why individual families are being held or how long they have been detained. However, the scale and coordination of the protest suggest widespread frustration among those inside the facility.

The South Texas Family Residential Centre houses around 1,200 people, with children accounting for about a third of the population. The centre can hold up to 2,400 detainees, making it the largest family detention site in the country. Aerial images taken the same day showed children holding signs reading 'libertad para los niños.'

One detainee, Maria Alejandra Montoya Sanchez, 31, who has been held with her nine-year-old daughter since October, said by phone that families wanted to be treated with dignity and in line with the law. She said they were immigrants with children, not criminals.

Texas Scene Like 'The Handmaid's Tale'

Viewers online focused on the visual details in the footage. Women and children were seen wearing blue, green, and red jackets, standing in organised groups while chanting. The colour-coded clothing and controlled movement led some to compare the images to 'The Handmaid's Tale,' a dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood.

One widely shared post described the scene as colour-coded captivity rather than border enforcement. Another said children chanting behind razor wire should not be described as an order. Lee later described the situation inside the facility as bizarre, saying he was told to stop recording while chants continued.

Ongoing ICE Operations in Texas

The protest came as ICE continues intensified operations across Texas. The Dilley concentration centre, built in 2014 on a 50-acre site, is operated by a private company under a federal contract. It closed in 2024 after family detention ended under President Joe Biden, but reopened after President Donald Trump returned to office.

Texas has become a central focus of current enforcement efforts. Data from state reporting shows daily ICE arrests in Texas have more than doubled compared with the previous administration. One in four ICE arrests nationwide since Trump's second inauguration has taken place in the state.

The facility has faced criticism over conditions, including overcrowding and delayed medical care. Advocacy groups have warned that prolonged detention is particularly harmful to children. Despite repeated questions, the Department of Homeland Security has not responded to the protest or conditions at the South Texas Family Residential Centre.

For critics, the images from Dilley raise broader moral questions about immigration enforcement and family detention. Whether viewed as a protest, a plea for help, or a warning, the chants from behind the fence have become a powerful symbol — one that continues to reverberate far beyond the Texas desert.