Story perspectives

Criticism Grows as Sick Infant Deported with Family

2/20/2026

Summary

Story summary

Juan Nicolás, a two-month-old infant with bronchitis, was deported to Mexico with his family after more than three weeks in detention at the Dilley Detention Center in Texas.
Juan Nicolás was hospitalized during detention and was discharged despite being unresponsive.
The family was deported with only $190 in commissary funds.
Congressman Joaquin Castro criticized ICE for the deportation, calling it "heinous" to remove a sick infant.
Univision reporter Lidia Terrazas located the family in Mexico, where they planned to seek medical care and travel to Guatemala for safety, amid outrage over conditions in ICE detention facilities.

History

Historical Context

The South Texas Family Residential Center opened in December 2014 to detain Central American families, initially housing 480 individuals. By mid-2015, its capacity expanded to 2,400. Over 60,000 families faced detention under poor conditions, prompting criticism of ICE's practices. The deportation of Juan Nicolás, a sick infant, underscores the urgent need for reform in immigration policies and humane treatment of vulnerable populations.

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Story summary

Juan Nicolás, a two-month-old infant with bronchitis, was deported to Mexico with his family after more than three weeks in detention at the Dilley Detention Center in Texas.
Juan Nicolás was hospitalized during detention and was discharged despite being unresponsive.
The family was deported with only $190 in commissary funds.
Congressman Joaquin Castro criticized ICE for the deportation, calling it "heinous" to remove a sick infant.
Univision reporter Lidia Terrazas located the family in Mexico, where they planned to seek medical care and travel to Guatemala for safety, amid outrage over conditions in ICE detention facilities.

1 / 2