U.S. immigration authorities have come under fire after deporting a 2-month-old baby suffering from bronchitis to Mexico alongside his family, according to U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro from Texas. The representative highlighted the severity of the child's condition, noting that he had been unresponsive in the hours leading up to his discharge from a hospital. This statement was made by Castro on an X post on Tuesday.

The baby was deported together with his 16-month-old sister, mother Mireya Stefani Lopez-Sanchez, and father. Castro, who confirmed the situation through the family’s attorney, condemned the deportation as “heinous” and vowed to hold Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accountable for their actions.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, responded to the allegations on Wednesday, stating that the child was in “stable condition and medically cleared for removal.” According to McLaughlin, medical professionals provided the parents with a nasal saline spray and bulb syringe to continue care for the infant after his discharge.

Lopez-Sanchez was apprehended by Border Patrol while crossing the border illegally near Eagle Pass, Texas, on January 21. After being transferred to ICE custody, she opted to take her child with her. McLaughlin remarked that all claims made by Lopez-Sanchez were presented to a judge but deemed invalid. Consequently, a judge issued a final order of removal for Lopez-Sanchez on February 8, leading to her deportation along with her children.

McLaughlin emphasized that Lopez-Sanchez received "full due process" during her legal proceedings. The incident has reignited discussions around the detention of immigrant children, particularly since the crackdown on immigration enforcement initiated by former President Donald Trump’s administration, which has been subjected to considerable scrutiny.

Recent examples highlighting the treatment of immigrant children include images of a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, who was seen wearing a bunny hat while surrounded by ICE officers in Minnesota last month. Such images have sparked public outcry, although the boy and his father were released shortly after a judge intervened.

Lopez-Sanchez and her baby were reportedly held at a family detention center in Dilley, Texas, the same facility where Conejo and his father were detained. Concerns regarding conditions in these immigration facilities were raised in court filings last year, revealing reports of contaminated food and inadequate access to medical care and legal representation. Disturbingly, some immigrant children were found to have been held in federal custody beyond the court-mandated limits, with reports of children remaining in detention for over five months.

Bronchitis, the respiratory condition affecting the deported infant, occurs when the airways in the lungs become inflamed, typically resulting in persistent coughing, according to the National Institute of Health. This case illustrates the complex and often troubling intersection of immigration enforcement and healthcare, particularly for vulnerable populations such as infants and young children.