Woman sends thousands weekly to migrant children in US detention

Casey Revkin, a Californian woman, sends up to US$10,000 each week to migrant children and families detained in the Dilley, Texas facility, allowing them to buy necessities like food, water, and hygiene products.

Luis Sánchez, a Nicaraguan man detained with his four children, first learned of Revkin’s help from another detainee and a visiting lawyer. He was able to use the funds to provide his children with basic comforts while in detention, including snacks and water, alleviating their distress.

Revkin began this support after witnessing the separation of children from their parents under the Trump administration in 2018, initially helping families navigate the reunification process. When the Dilley facility reopened last year as part of increased immigration enforcement, she shifted her focus to providing direct financial assistance to families inside. The Dilley facility uses a software system allowing deposits to individual detainee accounts, which Revkin utilizes with funds raised through donations.

Currently, Revkin estimates her contributions cover around 80% of the detainees in Dilley. CoreCivic, the private company managing the facility, maintains it provides adequate food, water, and hygiene items, and that the facility undergoes regular inspections. However, advocates like Kristin Etter describe Revkin as a “fairy godmother” whose support is essential for the well-being of families in detention, pointing to the high costs of goods within the facility and the inadequacy of provided resources.

Sánchez and his family were released from Dilley in July and are now participating in an intensive supervision program, and Revkin continued to help them with food and school supplies.