U.S. ICE Deportation of Sick 2-Month-Old Sparks Outrage

(MENAFN) U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro said Tuesday that a 2-month-old infant with bronchitis who had spent weeks in immigration detention in Texas was deported to Mexico by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) along with his family.

Castro said he verified the deportation of the baby, identified as Juan Nicolas, his 16-month-old sister and both parents after speaking with the family’s legal counsel.

"According to their attorney, ICE deported the family with only the money that they had in their commissary—a total of $190.

"To unnecessarily deport a sick baby and his entire family is heinous," he said, adding they were abandoned across the border in Mexico.

Juan Nicolas had been held for about three weeks at the Dilley Trailer Prison in South Texas. He was hospitalized late Monday after his health deteriorated with bronchitis but was discharged around midnight despite the illness, Castro said.

"We are laser-focused on tracking them down, holding ICE accountable for this monstrous action, demanding specific details on their whereabouts and wellbeing, and ensuring their safety," he said.

The deportation comes as ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) face intense scrutiny after federal agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minnesota during immigration enforcement operations earlier this year, prompting protests and renewed calls for accountability in federal immigration tactics.

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