A three-month-old boy nearly drowned in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, Texas, as he was carried by a previously deported Honduran claiming to be the child’s father. Border Patrol agents rescued the pair and later flew the infant to a San Antonio hospital for intensive care.

Del Rio Sector Border Patrol agents observed a man with an infant strapped to his chest, preparing to cross the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass. Agents warned the man of the dangerous currents and eventually persuaded him not to attempt the crossing, according to information provided by Del Rio Sector Border Patrol officials. The man left the scene but returned a short time later.

When the migrant returned, he carried an inner tube to use as a flotation device. He still had the infant boy strapped to his chest, officials stated. This time, he waded into the water and was quickly swept away.

Marine-based Border Patrol agents assigned to the Eagle Pass Station quickly moved their boat into a position to provide emergency assistance. Agents observed the infant submerged while still strapped to the man’s chest. The man struggled to keep afloat, the agents reported.

After seeing the child go underwater several times, agents grabbed the man and hoisted him into their boat. They then transported the duo to the shore where ground-based agents took custody.

Concerned about possible water in the three-month-old’s lungs, rescue workers from the Eagle Pass Fire Department transported him to a nearby hospital for evaluation. Doctors later ordered the boy be flown to a children’s hospital in San Antonio for “more intensive care.”

“Immigrants with children need to recognize the risk of drowning inherent to crossing the Rio Grande River and heed the warnings of our agents,” Del Rio Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Randy Davis said in a written statement. “I am concerned for the families who continue to ignore the warnings and risk their lives and the lives of their children.”

Agents identified the man only as a 26-year-old Honduran national. Officials stated that immigration officers removed the man from the U.S. in 2016. He now faces criminal charges for illegal re-entry after removal and could face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

An official from U.S. Customs and Border Protection responded to an inquiry from Breitbart News and said, “The adult male’s identity was verified via biometrics and his relationship with the child was determined through documentation and interviews.”

Last week, ICE Acting Director Matthew Albence told Breitbart News that another Honduran man used a six-month-old child to attempt a fraudulent family migrant claim. This incident occurred in the Rio Grande Valley Sector. The Honduran man had also been previously deported.

During interviews with ICE, the man identified as Amilcar Guiza-Reyes, 51, reportedly admitted he obtained the fraudulent birth certificate to establish a father-son relationship. He further stated he intended to use the child to “further his unlawful entry into the U.S.,” ICE officials stated.

“Frankly, it’s disgusting,” Acting ICE Director Matthey T. Albence said in a phone interview with Breitbart News. “But, it’s not something that we’re surprised about, unfortunately. We’ve been saying for several years that when we talk about the humanitarian crisis on the border, it’s not just the number of family units and unaccompanied children that are coming to the border illegally, it’s a fact that, based on the laws that Congress has failed to fix, they have created an industry the smuggling and rental of children.”

“These kids are being released and sent back across the border, whether it’s to Mexico or to the Northern Triangle and being utilized again for this exact same purpose.” the acting ICE director explained.