US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detained a five-year-old boy and his father during an immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, according to school officials and the family’s lawyer.
The child, identified as pre-schooler Liam Ramos, was with his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, when ICE agents approached them outside their home. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said officers were targeting the father and denied that the child was intentionally detained.
In a statement posted on X, DHS said ICE “did NOT target a child,” claiming the father fled and “abandoned” his son. ICE said officers ensured the child’s safety in freezing temperatures and attempted to transfer custody to family members inside the home, but were refused.
Local school officials and witnesses disputed that account. Columbia Heights Public Schools Superintendent Zena Stenvik questioned why a five-year-old was kept outside and prevented from entering the home with another adult. A school board member said she offered to take custody of the child but was denied.
Photos shared with media show the child standing outside in winter clothing while an officer holds his backpack. The school district said the images were taken by verified community members.
Family attorney Marc Prokosch said both the child and his father are being held at a detention center in San Antonio, Texas, and legal teams are attempting to reach them. He said the family arrived from Ecuador in 2024 and was seeking asylum, adding they were complying with immigration requirements.
ICE denied detaining the child, stating the father requested the child remain with him. DHS did not immediately respond to further requests for comment.
US Vice-President JD Vance defended the operation during a visit to Minnesota, saying ICE agents had no alternative after the father ran. Protests have continued across the state amid heightened enforcement under Operation Metro Surge, which officials say targets serious criminal offenders.
School leaders say multiple students in the district have recently been affected by ICE actions, warning the enforcement activity is causing trauma within the community.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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