US Deports Sick Infant and Family to Mexico Amid Criticism

U.S. immigration authorities deported a two-month-old infant suffering from bronchitis to Mexico on Tuesday, along with his parents and 16-month-old sister, prompting criticism from lawmakers who described the action as callous.

The child, identified as Juan Nicolás, had been detained with his family at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, after his mother, Mireya Stefani Lopez-Sanchez, was apprehended by Border Patrol for crossing the border illegally near Eagle Pass on January 21. According to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, Lopez-Sanchez opted to keep her children with her upon transfer to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. An immigration judge reviewed her claims and issued a final removal order on February 8, determining them invalid. McLaughlin stated that the family received full due process before the deportation.

On Monday night, Juan Nicolás was rushed to a hospital from the Dilley facility after becoming unresponsive and choking on his own vomit, his mother told reporters. He was discharged hours later, despite remaining ill, and the family was removed the following day. Pediatricians provided the...