Updated: Jun. 11, 2026, 10:15 p.m.
|Published: Jun. 10, 2026, 9:37 a.m.
Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J, speaks during a Senate Homeland Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner)AP
By Lauren Sforza | NJ.com
Ms. Rachel, a popular children’s entertainer, teamed up with U.S. Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) on Tuesday to condemn the separation of children from their parents detained at Delaney Hall.
Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, visited the immigrant detention center in Newark on Monday to meet with children whose parents have been detained. In recent months, she has been an outspoken advocate of children and their families who have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In a video shared by Kim on Tuesday, Ms. Rachel described her visit to Delaney Hall. She also blasted Dilley Immigration Processing Center — a detention center in Texas — for detaining children.
Ms. Rachel thanked Kim for speaking out against the conditions of Delaney Hall and showed him letters from children being held in the Texas detention center. The video was taken in the Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.
“Senator Kim, thank you so much for taking the time to look at the letters and the children at Dilley Immigration Detention Center, who’ve been in there sometimes for many months and who are still there now, and for reading their words and hearing their voices. It means the world to us,” she told Kim.
“I also want to thank you so much for all you’ve done for Delaney Hall. I was there yesterday, and I was up till 2am worried about these kids and families. They’re so wonderful, and they just miss their parents so much. And the trauma was just very obvious. And it just broke my heart,” she said.
By Lauren Sforza | NJ.com
Ms. Rachel, a popular children’s entertainer, teamed up with U.S. Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) on Tuesday to condemn the separation of children from their parents detained at Delaney Hall.
Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, visited the immigrant detention center in Newark on Monday to meet with children whose parents have been detained. In recent months, she has been an outspoken advocate of children and their families who have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In a video shared by Kim on Tuesday, Ms. Rachel described her visit to Delaney Hall. She also blasted Dilley Immigration Processing Center — a detention center in Texas — for detaining children.
Ms. Rachel thanked Kim for speaking out against the conditions of Delaney Hall and showed him letters from children being held in the Texas detention center. The video was taken in the Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.
“Senator Kim, thank you so much for taking the time to look at the letters and the children at Dilley Immigration Detention Center, who’ve been in there sometimes for many months and who are still there now, and for reading their words and hearing their voices. It means the world to us,” she told Kim.
“I also want to thank you so much for all you’ve done for Delaney Hall. I was there yesterday, and I was up till 2am worried about these kids and families. They’re so wonderful, and they just miss their parents so much. And the trauma was just very obvious. And it just broke my heart,” she said.
Kim told her it was important for lawmakers to hear the stories of detained children.
“Thank you, Miss Rachel, for coming here to the United States Capitol to be able to show you this is the building where these decisions are being made, and this is so important for every single one of my colleagues to hear these stories,” Kim said.
“I’ve read through them, they are heart-wrenching. These are children, they’re children just like my eight year old and my 10 year old, just like the kids that are watching your show. We should treat all kids, regardless of where they’re from, with just the heart and the tenderness that they deserve,” he said.
Ms. Rachel, the creator of the widely acclaimed Ms. Rachel YouTube Channel, then demanded an end to family detention centers.
“The kids at Dilley, they have dangerously inadequate medical care. There’s been many medical emergencies through the lack of medical care. And as you know, the American Academy of Pediatrics says there’s no safe amount of time for a child to be in detention,” she said.
“We really need to end family detention. These children are deteriorating, and it just, it just breaks my heart. And children have human rights. We need to stop violating their human rights,” she said.
Kim concluded the video by referencing the GOP-led bill to continue funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including ICE. The House passed a $70 billion bill to fund immigration enforcement for the next three years on Tuesday.
“We’re having real trouble when it comes to just the continued funding of this, so we want to make sure that everybody here understands who it is that is being detained. This is happening. I don’t stand for it. And thank you for lifting up your voice,” he told Ms. Rachel.
Immigration advocates and Democrats have raised ongoing concerns about inhumane conditions inside Delaney Hall, including claims of inadequate medical care, subpar food and forced labor for little or no pay.
Protesters have been gathering outside the facility since mid-May, but federal officials have denied claims of poor conditions.
“Thank you, Miss Rachel, for coming here to the United States Capitol to be able to show you this is the building where these decisions are being made, and this is so important for every single one of my colleagues to hear these stories,” Kim said.
“I’ve read through them, they are heart-wrenching. These are children, they’re children just like my eight year old and my 10 year old, just like the kids that are watching your show. We should treat all kids, regardless of where they’re from, with just the heart and the tenderness that they deserve,” he said.
Ms. Rachel, the creator of the widely acclaimed Ms. Rachel YouTube Channel, then demanded an end to family detention centers.
“The kids at Dilley, they have dangerously inadequate medical care. There’s been many medical emergencies through the lack of medical care. And as you know, the American Academy of Pediatrics says there’s no safe amount of time for a child to be in detention,” she said.
“We really need to end family detention. These children are deteriorating, and it just, it just breaks my heart. And children have human rights. We need to stop violating their human rights,” she said.
Kim concluded the video by referencing the GOP-led bill to continue funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including ICE. The House passed a $70 billion bill to fund immigration enforcement for the next three years on Tuesday.
“We’re having real trouble when it comes to just the continued funding of this, so we want to make sure that everybody here understands who it is that is being detained. This is happening. I don’t stand for it. And thank you for lifting up your voice,” he told Ms. Rachel.
Immigration advocates and Democrats have raised ongoing concerns about inhumane conditions inside Delaney Hall, including claims of inadequate medical care, subpar food and forced labor for little or no pay.
Protesters have been gathering outside the facility since mid-May, but federal officials have denied claims of poor conditions.
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