The Department of Homeland Security and longtime CNN anchor Jim Acosta are sparring on social media over a story that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents recently detained a 2-month-old infant and his family.
Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro shared on X that Juan Nicolás, a newborn who has spent the last month at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center — more than 70 miles south of San Antonio — was rushed to the hospital earlier this week with bronchitis. Castro later reported that Nicolás, his parents, and his 16-month-old sister had been deported to Mexico and were given $190 — the only money they had in their commissary accounts.
Acosta, who parted ways with CNN in January 2025, was among the many social media users questioning why ICE would keep infants in a detention center.
“Are we going to have some standards of decency as a country?” Acosta wrote in an X post Tuesday afternoon. “Do the people in power hate Latinos that much? Please stop this madness.”
Why is a 2 month old baby detained by ICE? Are we going to have some standards of decency as a country? Do the people in power hate Latinos that much? Please stop this madness. https://t.co/8Nt6hD3tqb
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 17, 2026
Acosta then reposted a reply from Pablo Manríquez, an immigration reporter who wrote, “Yes, people in power hate Latinos that much.” Although Acosta was born in Washington, D.C., his father was a Cuban refugee who arrived in the United States in 1962, shortly before the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The Department of Homeland Security pushed back Wednesday morning, arguing that the blame falls on Nicolás’ family.
“The mother chose to take her child into custody with her,” DHS wrote. “The mother chose to enter and remain in the country illegally. The mother chose not to take $2,600 and free flight home.”
Acosta quickly replied, accusing DHS of “jailing children” and committing “family devastation.”
“You said you were going after the worst of the worst,” Acosta said. “You lied. And please…We see you. We see your horrendous white nationalist posts. We see the delight you take in harming Latinos. Shame on you.”
The mother chose to take her child into custody with her.
The mother chose to enter and remain in the country illegally.
The mother chose not to take $2,600 and free flight home. https://t.co/Xx3r3qmA7G
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) February 18, 2026
The Department of Homeland Security previously reported a measles outbreak at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center. Castro has publicly called on ICE to close the facility, though there is no indication such a move will happen in the coming days or weeks.
ICE made nearly 400,000 arrests between Jan. 21, 2025, and Jan. 31, 2026. CBS reported that less than 14% of those arrested had been accused or convicted of violent crimes. The Department of Homeland Security is currently in the final stages of Operation Metro Surge, a prolonged operation in Minnesota that began in December.
White House officials said earlier this month that ICE has arrested at least 4,000 people in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge. As of publication, it is unclear whether DHS and ICE intend to begin another similar operation in the near future.
