; (ii) an alternative U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility; or (iii) an alternative to detention; and (B) may not place a detained alien who is considered to be a protection case in solitary confinement due to the status of the alien as a protection case unless— (i) the alien requests to be placed in solitary confinement, in which case, at the request of the alien to be released from solitary confinement, the alien shall be transferred to a safer alternative, such as— (I) an alternative general population unit; (II) an alternative U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility; or (III) an alternative to detention; or (ii) such confinement is limited to— (I) not more than 5 days of administrative segregation; and (II) is necessary to protect the alien during preparation for transfer to a safer alternative, such as 1 of the alternatives described in subclauses (I) through (III) of clause (i). (4) Vulnerable populations A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility may not place a detained alien in solitary confinement if— (A) the detained alien is younger than 18 years of age, unless— (i) such confinement is a temporary response to the behavior of the detained alien, which poses a substantial and immediate threat; (ii) all other options to de-escalate the situation have been exhausted, including less restrictive techniques such as— (I) penalizing the detained alien through loss of privileges; (II) speaking with the detained alien in an attempt to de-escalate the situation; and (III) providing an appropriate level of care through a licensed mental health professional; (iii) such confinement is limited to— (I) 3 hours after the detained alien is placed in solitary confinement, if the alien poses a substantial and immediate threat to others; or (II) 30 minutes after the detained alien is placed in solitary confinement, if the alien poses a substantial and immediate threat only to his self or her self