A recently hospitalized 2-month-old baby has been deported with his mother, father, and 16-month-old sister, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro said Tuesday.
Juan Nicolás was rushed to the hospital on Monday night after spending nearly a month in federal custody at Dilley Family Detention Center, Univision’s Lidia Terrazas first reported. In a Sunday evening social media post, Terrazas reported — via Juan’s mother — that he had “another health episode” about 3 a.m., during which he was “choking on his own vomit.”
Throughout the day Tuesday, Terrazas and Castro updated the public on Juan and his family’s plight. The infant was briefly hospitalized with bronchitis, during which he became unresponsive overnight, before he was sent back to Dilley, said Castro.
Castro confirmed he was deported just hours later.
“Juan Nicolás, a two month old suffering from bronchitis who spent three weeks in the Dilley Trailer Prison, has been deported by ICE along with his mother,” Castro wrote on X. “They were abandoned across the border in Mexico.”
Minutes later, Castro added that he had confirmed that Juan’s 16-month-old sister, mother, and father, were also taken to Mexico. They were given $190 — the only money they had in their commissary — and left there, he said.
“To unnecessarily deport a sick baby and his entire family is heinous,” Castro posted online. “My staff and I are in contact with Juan’s family. 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.”
The news came quickly after Castro raised alarms about Juan’s wellbeing online and to the press.
“Me and my team have been in contact with Juan’s family,” Castro posted on multiple social media platforms Tuesday afternoon. “Juan has bronchitis — according to his mom — and at some point in the last several hours, he was unresponsive. Juan was still discharged from the hospital despite that around midnight today.”
Hours later, he was gone.
Castro has told reporters that the baby had been vomiting and exhibiting respiratory issues throughout his detainment. Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security reported a measles outbreak at the facility, which houses about 1,100 immigrants. He is the facility’s youngest detainee, among hundreds of other children, Castro — who called on Dilley to be “shut down immediately” weeks ago — has said.
Terrazas was the first to confirm the family’s deportation on Tuesday evening to her Instagram, reporting that Juan and his mother were deported and “abandoned at the border.”
That afternoon, Castro told the press that Juan’s mother had appeared before an immigration judge and told she would soon be deported.
“We are all deeply concerned that Juan and his mom will be deported and that Juan’s health will continue to deteriorate,” Castro said in Tuesday’s post. “His life is in danger because of ICE’s monstrous cruelty. I will continue to provide updates, and we will keep fighting to protect them.”
