Immigrant Mothers Win Appeal To Challenge Detention Center Rule

Detained mothers have standing to sue the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services over a licensing rule governing immigration detention centers because they allege concrete personal injuries traceable to the adoption of the rule, the state’s high court said Friday.

A court of appeals previously held that detainee mothers lacked standing to assert their claims over Rule 748.7 of the Texas Adminstrative Code. That rule establishes licensing requirements for immigrant family residential detention centers. It also provides an exception to state childcare licensing standards that prohibit housing adults and children in the same bedroom, so long as the room ...