Minnesota: ICE Detention of 5-Year-Old Draws Scrutiny

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Minneapolis: A 5-year-old boy, identified as Liam Conejo Ramos, was taken into federal custody along with his father by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents outside their Columbia Heights, Minnesota, home, igniting controversy over immigration enforcement practices and child welfare.

 The incident occurred on January 20, when immigration officers arrived at the family’s driveway as Liam had just returned from preschool. A widely circulated image shows the young boy in a Spider-Man backpack standing beside a federal agent, a scene that has drawn strong reactions from community leaders, school officials and immigrant rights advocates.

 School district representatives and neighbours allege that agents did not allow other adults on the scene to care for Liam, despite offers, and that they used the child as a bait during the operation a claim the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has strongly denied.

 DHS officials maintain that the primary target was Liam’s father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, described by the agency as present unlawfully in the U.S., and that the child was taken into custody for his safety after the father allegedly fled on foot during the arrest attempt. The department says officers attempted multiple times to bring the child’s mother inside to assume custody and insisted they acted to protect the boy.

 Liam and his father were subsequently transferred to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, a detention facility for families, where they remain together. Supporters of the family dispute ICE’s account, saying the family entered the United States legally in late 2024 while seeking asylum and was complying with immigration authorities.

 The case has drawn widespread public scrutiny amid heightened immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota, including recent operations that have seen multiple children taken into custody in similar circumstances. Advocates and legal representatives have raised concerns about the psychological impact on young children and the adherence to immigration policies regarding family unity.

 A fundraiser organised to assist Liam’s family has raised significant support, exceeding six figures, as supporters push for legal assistance and a resolution to reunite the family outside of detention.

 The controversy continues to deepen discussions over how federal immigration authorities handle encounters involving minors, especially those with active asylum cases and no deportation orders.