2-Month-Old Deported to Mexico with Family After Illness at Detention Center

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro says infant Juan Nicolás suffered respiratory issues while detained at South Texas Family Residential Center.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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A 2-month-old boy named Juan Nicolás was deported to Mexico along with his mother, 16-month-old sister, and father after being detained at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas. The infant had suffered persistent respiratory issues and was hospitalized before being returned to the detention facility and then deported, according to U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro.

Why it matters

The reported deportation of the medically vulnerable infant has intensified scrutiny of conditions at the Dilley detention center, where advocates and medical experts have warned of inadequate pediatric care, recent measles cases, and prolonged detention of children. The Biden administration had ended family detention in 2021, but the federal government later resumed the practice under President Donald Trump, prompting renewed attention to the facility's capacity to safely detain families with young children and infants.

The details

According to Rep. Castro, the 2-month-old infant, Juan Nicolás, had been detained at the Dilley facility for about 3 1/2 weeks and suffered respiratory issues. At some point, the infant became unresponsive and was hospitalized, then discharged around midnight and brought back to Dilley before being deported with his family. Reports and court filings have described challenges in accessing timely pediatric care at Dilley, including a recent federal lawsuit alleging that an 18-month-old was hospitalized for life-threatening respiratory failure and initially denied prescribed medication upon return to the detention center.

  • Juan Nicolás had been detained at the Dilley facility for about 3 1/2 weeks.
  • The infant became unresponsive at some point and was hospitalized, then discharged around midnight and brought back to Dilley before deportation.

The players

Joaquin Castro

A U.S. Representative from Texas who confirmed the deportation of the 2-month-old infant and his family.

Juan Nicolás

A 2-month-old boy who suffered respiratory issues while detained at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas.

Amalia

An 18-month-old child who was hospitalized for life-threatening respiratory failure while detained at the Dilley facility and initially denied prescribed medication upon return to the detention center.

Elora Mukherjee

A professor and director of Columbia Law School's Immigrants' Rights Clinic who criticized the treatment of the 18-month-old child Amalia at the Dilley facility.

Tricia McLaughlin

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security who denied that medication was withheld from the 18-month-old child Amalia and said she received proper care.

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What they’re saying

“After a discussion with their attorney, I have confirmed that Juan, his 16-month-old sister, his mom, and his dad have been deported. 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. 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.”

— Joaquin Castro, U.S. Representative (X)

“After baby Amalia had been hospitalized for 10 days, ICE thought this baby should be returned to Dilley, where she was denied access to the medicines that the hospital doctors told her she needed. It is so outrageous.”

— Elora Mukherjee, Professor and Director of Columbia Law School's Immigrants' Rights Clinic (NBC News)

“[The child] was in the medical unit and received proper treatment and prescribed medicines.”

— Tricia McLaughlin (NBC News)

What’s next

Lawmakers and legal advocates have sought additional oversight of family detention conditions and pediatric care at Dilley, while DHS and CoreCivic have maintained that detainees receive appropriate medical treatment and services.

The takeaway

The deportation of a medically vulnerable infant from the Dilley detention center highlights ongoing concerns about the facility's capacity to safely detain families with young children, as well as the broader debate over the use of family detention and the provision of adequate healthcare for immigrant detainees.