Amalia A.: 18-month-old held by ICE hospitalized with pneumonia, medication withheld at Dilley
An 18-month-old Venezuelan girl was hospitalized 10 days with pneumonia and COVID-19 after detention, then had her nebulizer and medication confiscated upon return to Dilley before her family's release.
Feb 7, 2026El Paso, TXCountry of origin: Venezuela

Amalia Arrieta, an 18-month-old from Venezuela, was detained with her mother Kheilin Valero Marcano following an ICE appointment in El Paso on December 11, 2025, and transferred to Dilley Immigration Processing Center. Over weeks, Amalia developed severe respiratory symptoms including high fevers, persistent cough, and dangerously low blood-oxygen levels (dropping to the 50s). On January 18, 2026, she was hospitalized at Methodist Children's Hospital in San Antonio for 10 days, diagnosed with pneumonia, COVID-19, RSV, and respiratory distress. Upon discharge on January 28, doctors prescribed her a nebulizer, respiratory medications, and nutritional supplements. When ICE returned her to Dilley, detention staff allegedly confiscated her prescribed medications and breathing equipment. Her parents were forced to wait in daily outdoor lines to request treatment, often being denied. After lawyers filed an emergency habeas corpus petition in federal court, the family was released on either January 31 or February 7, 2026.
Timeline
Tags
Sources
- I Recognize the Look on Liam Ramos’s Face
The Atlantic·Mar 10, 2026·archived copy
- Toddler hospitalized with respiratory failure was returned to ICE detention and denied prescribed medication, lawsuit says
NBC News·Feb 9, 2026·archived copy
- 18-month-old girl hospitalized with respiratory failure in ICE detention, lawyers say
The Independent·Feb 9, 2026·archived copy
- The Mirror
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