A Mexican immigrant who was released by Chicago authorities despite ICE telling them not to 'went on to rape a three-year-old girl in a McDonald's bathroom as she cried ''daddy, daddy''.'

Christopher Puente, 34, is accused of sexually assaulting the girl at the restaurant on 600 N. Clark St. in the River North area of the city at around 8am on February 19.

The alleged attack happened while the girl's father was in another stall with her brother, who had had an accident in the restaurant.

However ICE had requested that police continue detaining the previously deported felon - who had convictions for forced-entry burglary and forgery.

Christopher Puente, 34, (pictured) is accused of sexually assaulting the girl at the restaurant in River North. However ICE had requested that police continue detaining the previously deported felon - who had convictions for forced-entry burglary and forgery

Despite his background, Chicago declined ICE's June 2019 request to detain Puente.

ICE have said this is an increasingly common battle, with the agency reporting that Cook County, which includes Chicago, denied more than 1,000 detainer requests in 2019 alone.

Puente's bond hearing in Cook County heard the little girl's mouth was covered as she began whimpering 'daddy, daddy' - before her father pulled her legs from under the door to get her to safety.

The horrific ordeal was relayed in court where the accused rapist appeared for the first time.

Robert Guadian, field office director of Chicago Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), blamed 'irresponsible lawmaking' for Puentes release.

'How many more victims must there be before lawmakers realize that sanctuary policies do not protect the innocent?' Guadian said.

'Puente should have been in ICE custody last year and removed to his home country. Instead, irresponsible lawmaking allowed him to walk free and prey on our most vulnerable,' he told Fox News.

Images of Puente on surveillance footage were circulated through a community alert and he was later brought in by police for an unrelated criminal trespass before being linked to the assault case.

The alleged attack happened while the girl's father was in another stall with her brother, who had had an accident in the restaurant (pictured) on 600 N. Clark St. in the River North area of the city

He was charged with criminal trespass after refusing to leave a local business in River North.

While investigating, officers recognized him as being the man pictured and he was linked to the sexual assault case.

The accused is said to have admitted to investigators he put the toddler on his lap, sexually assaulted her and covered her mouth to stop her calling for help.

The child's dad then tried to open the locked cubicle after hearing his daughter's calls before dragging her by her legs from under the door, reports CBS Chicago.

The alleged attacker then fled the McDonald's and a manhunt was launched, with Puente now facing charges of predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim younger than 13 years old.

Prosecutors said the defendant told police 'he was f***ed up and thinking dirty' and that he was high at the time.

He also said he was paranoid and looking around as he left the bathroom because he 'knew what he did was wrong'.

Puente has been convicted multiple times between 2006 and 2016, mainly for theft, according to court records.

He is due to return to court on March 10 and is being held in custody, without bail.

ICE official Henry Lucero previously warned that Illinois' sanctuary status made it more difficult for federal authorities to track criminals.