2-Month-Old Reportedly Suffering from Bronchitis Deported to Mexico After Weeks at Texas Detention Center

A 2-month-old baby reported to be suffering from bronchitis was deported to Mexico after spending about three weeks at an immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, according to Rep. Joaquin Castro.

Castro said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported the infant, his 16-month-old sister, and their parents with only the money the family had in their detention-center commissary accounts — about $190 — citing information from the family’s attorney. He identified the baby as Juan Nicolás.

The Frio County Sheriff’s Office told KSAT that Juan Nicolás was taken to a hospital in Pearsall, Texas, on Monday, Feb. 16, after becoming ill with bronchitis.

In posts on social media, Castro said the baby was discharged Monday night, adding that the child had been “unresponsive” at times earlier in the day. Castro also said Juan Nicolás’ mother appeared before an immigration judge early Tuesday, and was told she would be deported but was not informed when or where.

In an Instagram video shared Monday, Castro said the baby had been held at the Dilley facility for roughly three to three and a half weeks. He alleged that at one point there was no doctor available to see the infant during early morning hours and warned that the child’s “life is in danger.”

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said a child at the facility was taken to a local hospital on Feb. 16 “for a precautionary evaluation” after showing symptoms of a respiratory infection. The spokesperson said the child’s mother was able to stay with him during the visit and that hospital staff determined the child was stable, alert, and responsive. The statement said the hospital did not admit the child and that he returned to the Dilley facility, where medical personnel continued monitoring his condition.

The spokesperson added that DHS provides medical care to people in ICE custody, including access to medical services and 24-hour emergency care.

Separately, Univision reporter Lidia Terrazas also reported that the baby and his family were deported to Mexico. In an update later Tuesday, she reported that the family used their commissary funds to book a hotel and planned to seek medical care for the baby as soon as possible.

The Dilley facility has previously been used to detain families. It was built in 2014, later stopped being used and was closed, and has since reopened. Advocacy group RAICES has cited figures indicating that roughly 1,400 people were held there as of mid-January, including about 500 children, according to reporting by The New York Times.