Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a detainer on a Salvadoran national accused of allowing a 14-month-old child to drown in a bathtub, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The detainer urges North Carolina authorities to retain Angel Israel Deras-Rivas in custody.

Markwayne Mullin, DHS Secretary, criticized the current administration’s immigration policies, stating they played a role in this tragic incident. He highlighted that this accused individual faces charges of murder and felony child abuse.

The arrest of Angel Israel Deras-Rivas occurred in Garner. The 19-year-old allegedly neglected to supervise his stepchild, resulting in the child’s death. The Raleigh News & Observer noted this happened shortly after Deras-Rivas married the child’s mother in April.

Officials identified Deras-Rivas as having entered the U.S. illegally through Texas in October 2023. The Biden administration’s policies allowed his release into the country.

Mullin asserted that the child’s death resulted from these open-border policies. ICE calls on North Carolina officials to keep Deras-Rivas incarcerated and hand him over to ICE for deportation.

On the day of Deras-Rivas’ arrest, ICE filed the detainer with the Wake County Sheriff’s Department. Such detainers usually request local law enforcement to inform ICE prior to releasing an individual. Authorities may hold the person up to 48 hours beyond the scheduled release to allow ICE to assume custody for potential deportation.

Fox News Digital contacted the Garner Police Department for further details on the matter.