ICE Officer Saves Unresponsive 1-Year-Old at JFK Airport

Heroic agent performs Heimlich maneuver, reviving child in distress

Mar. 28, 2026 at 7:19pm

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An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer is being credited with saving the life of a 1-year-old child who became unresponsive and stopped breathing at John F. Kennedy Airport on March 25. The officer, who was at the airport assisting Transportation Security Administration personnel, responded quickly and performed the Heimlich maneuver, reviving the child after a few seconds.

Why it matters

The incident highlights the important role ICE officers can play in public safety, even in unexpected situations, despite ongoing criticism of the agency's policies from some politicians and the media. The rescue also comes on the heels of another recent case where ICE officers saved a 4-year-old boy who had fallen into a hotel pool.

The details

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the ICE officer heard the child's father calling for help and immediately responded. The officer took the unresponsive 1-year-old from the father's arms and performed the Heimlich maneuver, causing the child to start breathing again within a few seconds. When emergency medical personnel arrived, they determined the child was healthy enough to continue the planned flight.

  • The incident occurred on March 25, 2026 at JFK Airport in New York.
  • A similar incident where ICE officers saved a 4-year-old boy from drowning happened on February 20, 2026 in Plymouth, Minnesota.

The players

ICE Officer

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer who was at JFK Airport assisting Transportation Security Administration personnel.

1-Year-Old Child

The unresponsive 1-year-old child whose life was saved by the ICE officer at JFK Airport.

Child's Father

The father of the 1-year-old child, who was holding the unresponsive child and called for help.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin

The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, who praised the ICE officer's actions in a statement.

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What they’re saying

“The ICE agent sprang into action and saved this one-year-old child's life. If our agent had not been there and stepped up, this would have been a tragic outcome.”

— Markwayne Mullin, DHS Secretary

“Despite the endless smears and lies told about them by sanctuary politicians and the media, our ICE officers show up every day to protect the Homeland and their fellow Americans.”

— Markwayne Mullin, DHS Secretary

What’s next

The Department of Homeland Security said it was the second child ICE officers had rescued recently, with a 4-year-old boy's life also being saved on February 20 after he fell into a hotel pool in Plymouth, Minnesota.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the important public safety role that ICE officers can play, even in unexpected situations, and serves as a counterpoint to the ongoing criticism the agency has faced from some politicians and the media regarding its policies and practices.