A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent saved the life of a one-year-old boy who stopped breathing while waiting in line at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Wednesday, officials said.
The child suddenly went limp in his father’s arms inside the TSA PreCheck lane, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Video footage captured the moment the boy’s limbs became lifeless, triggering panic among his father and nearby passengers.
Alerted by his father’s cries and growing commotion, the ICE agent immediately ran to the scene. Within seconds, the officer evaluated the toddler and performed a Heimlich maneuver, restoring the infant’s breathing after nearly two minutes. Paramedics were on-site and cleared the child to continue his journey following evaluation.
The Department of Homeland Security stated: “This heroic officer immediately sprang into action—rushing toward the cries, taking the child, and performing a Heimlich maneuver that restored the infant’s breathing after nearly two minutes.”
The incident follows a similar event earlier this month when off-duty ICE agents in Massachusetts rescued a four-year-old boy who had fallen into a hotel swimming pool. DHS noted that ICE has been assisting the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at airports due to an ongoing partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, caused by Senate Democrats refusing to fund the department unless immigration enforcement is substantially restricted. This situation has resulted in high absenteeism among TSA staff who are not being paid and created operational chaos at U.S. airports.
