BEST OF THE BEST: ICE Officer Renders Lifesaving Medical Care to 14-Year-Old Victim Who Jumped from Moving Vehicle in Texas

WASHINGTON – The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement commending the heroism of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer who rendered assistance to a teenager who was unresponsive on the side of the road in Texas.

On July 2, ICE law enforcement officer Javier Moralez from the Harlingen-Corpus Christi Sub-Office was driving on Interstate 37 when he noticed two vehicles stopped and an individual lying facedown in a roadside ditch. Officer Moralez pulled over and immediately rendered lifesaving medical care to the victim, ensuring that emergency services were notified and instructing bystanders to stabilize the individual’s head and neck. Officer Moralez assessed the victim’s airway and breathing in case CPR became necessary.

The 14-year-old victim was breathing but unresponsive. Witnesses claimed that the victim had jumped from a moving vehicle that had been traveling at an estimated speed of between 50 and 70 miles per hour.

Personnel from the Corpus Christi Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, and the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office arrived and assumed medical care, transporting the victim for further treatment. Officer Moralez provided a briefing to the responding deputy and cleared the scene without further incident.

“This ICE officer didn’t hesitate when he saw someone lying unconscious on the side of the road. He immediately pulled over and rendered lifesaving medical care to the 14-year-old until emergency services arrived,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “The men and women of ICE truly are the best of the best, fighting every day to protect the American people despite the smears and attacks they face from sanctuary politicians and media outlets.”

Other recent examples of ICE officers heroically saving lives include:

• In June, ICE officers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin rescued a woman who was trapped in her car after another car ran a red light and struck it, flipping the car on its side.
• In June, an ICE officer in Tampa, Florida rescued a six-year-old child who was floating unconscious in a pool. The officer jumped into the pool to remove the child from the water, after which he rendered life-saving CPR until the child regained consciousness.
• In March, an ICE officer who was supporting TSA operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport helped save the life of a one-year-old child who was experiencing a medical emergency. The officer began performing the Heimlich maneuver, and after a few seconds the child started breathing again. EMS personnel arrived on scene with medical equipment to further monitor and re-assess the child. The child was re-assessed and determined to be healthy enough to fly.
• In February, off-duty ICE law enforcement agents saved the life of a four-year-old child who was unresponsive from drowning in a hotel swimming pool. The agents performed CPR for several minutes. Local police and Emergency Medical Services arrived shortly thereafter and transported the child to a local medical center for further medical care. Thanks to this lifesaving care and quick action, the child regained consciousness.

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