‘She nearly died’: 18-month-old girl returned to ICE custody, denied medication despite life-threatening illness, lawsuit says

An 18-month-old girl detained for weeks by US immigration authorities was returned to custody and denied medication after she was hospitalised with a life-threatening respiratory illness, according to a lawsuit filed in a Texas federal court.

The child, identified in the lawsuit as "Amalia," was released by immigration authorities in President Donald Trump's administration after her parents sued on Friday. The parents, who also were detained, were released as well. The suit sought the release of all three of them, Reuters reported.




The family was detained during a check-in with immigration authorities on December 11 and held at a facility in Dilley, Texas, according to the lawsuit. Amalia was hospitalised from January 18 to 28, and returned to the Dilley facility in the midst of a measles outbreak, the lawsuit said.

"Baby Amalia should never have been detained. She nearly died at Dilley," said Elora Mukherjee, an attorney for the family.

Mukherjee said hundreds of children and families detained at Dilley lacked sufficient drinking water, healthy food, educational opportunities or proper medical care, and should be released.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.

NBC News first reported on the lawsuit.

Trump's administration was accused of heavy-handed and inhumane tactics as well as violating court orders while carrying out his mass deportation programme.