detention center
noun
1
: a place where people who have entered a country illegally are kept for a period of time
2
: a place where people who have committed crimes are kept as punishment
She spent several months in a detention center for women.
a juvenile detention center
Examples of detention center in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After his arrest, Khalil was transferred to an immigration detention center in Jena, Louisiana — thousands of miles from his attorneys and his wife, who was pregnant at the time.
—
Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
Conejo and his dad ended up at a detention center in Dilley, Texas, that’s become the main location where ICE holds families.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
During the day, a small and peaceful protest occurred at the detention center.
—Sue Ambrose, Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026
Read All About It DHS is hiring a new contractor to run a troubled detention center after three recent deaths and outbreaks of tuberculosis and measles.
—Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention center
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Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
Conejo and his dad ended up at a detention center in Dilley, Texas, that’s become the main location where ICE holds families.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
During the day, a small and peaceful protest occurred at the detention center.
—Sue Ambrose, Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026
Read All About It DHS is hiring a new contractor to run a troubled detention center after three recent deaths and outbreaks of tuberculosis and measles.
—Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detention center
Cite this Entry
“Detention center.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detention%20center. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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