ICE Agents Save Life of 1-Year-Old at JFK Airport

On Wednesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents responded to a critical situation at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, where a 1-year-old boy had stopped breathing, according to authorities.

The Department of Homeland Security shared that an ICE employee was assisting Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff when the child became unresponsive in his father’s arms. Security footage revealed a passenger in the TSA PreCheck line holding the boy during the incident.

The father, witnessing his child’s arm go limp, quickly sought help, which understandably caused panic in the area. The ICE employee on duty reacted swiftly to the father’s cries and the surrounding chaos. He assessed the situation and began performing the Heimlich maneuver, as noted by DHS.

Within moments, the child began to breathe again. After being evaluated by paramedics, he was found healthy enough to continue traveling.

DHS praised the officer, stating, “This heroic officer immediately sprung into action, lunged toward the cry, took the child, and performed the Heimlich maneuver, restoring the infant’s breathing approximately two minutes later. This officer’s extraordinary courage exemplifies the selfless service of DHS law enforcement.”

This incident marks the second notable rescue by ICE in recent weeks. Just a few days earlier, on February 20, an off-duty ICE officer saved a 4-year-old boy in Massachusetts who had nearly drowned in a hotel pool. The officer was dining in a nearby restaurant and responded when a distressed parent approached them with an unresponsive child, administering CPR before paramedics arrived.

ICE emphasized that without their agents being on-site, the outcomes of these situations could have been much worse. “Thanks to their training, these two agents were able to save lives. Our agents are truly the best of the best. They put their lives on the line every day to save American lives,” the agency stated.