An ICE officer spotted a 6-year-old child floating motionless in a Florida pool and dove in to pull the child out, authorities said.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer Gregory Simmonds was at a community pool May 16 in Pasco County when he noticed the unconscious child in the water, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a press release Tuesday. Surveillance footage obtained by Fox News Digital captured Simmonds jumping in fully clothed and swimming to reach the child as another minor helped. He carried the child to the edge and others stepped in to help lift the minor out.

Simmonds performed CPR until the child regained consciousness, according to DHS. Local authorities said the child is anticipated to fully recover. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: GOP Rep Proposes ICE Database To Track ‘Worst Of The Worst’ Illegals)

Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) Cpl. J. Leathers credited the officer in a statement. “Due to his quick thinking, decisive actions and willingness to place himself into action during a critical incident, the child survived and is expected to make a full recovery,” the officer said. “His actions directly contributed to saving the life of the child and reflect exceptional courage and selflessness.”

Our heroic @ICEgov officers truly are the BEST OF THE BEST.

Thank you to Officer Simmonds for jumping into action to save this 6-year-old child from drowning. https://t.co/J1xIElinuy

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) June 17, 2026

Acting Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis praised Simmonds and turned the rescue against the agency’s critics. “This officer swiftly sprung to action and delivered life-saving medical care to this 6-year-old who drowned,” Bis said. “Our agents truly are the best of the best. They put their lives on the line to arrest the worst of the worst. Instead of demonizing ICE law enforcement, sanctuary politicians should be thanking them for removing criminals from their communities.”

Simmonds said he was grateful the child was alive in a Thursday interview with Newsmax. “I’m very happy that it ended up turning out the right way, that I was in the right place at the right time to give this kid a second change at life,” he said.

Simmonds serves in ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Tampa, Fox News Digital reported. DHS shared the footage publicly on June 17, roughly a month after the rescue.

The praise arrives as ICE faces demonstrations outside detention facilities. Demonstrators at sites such as New Jersey’s Delaney Hall have branded officers with hostile labels.