A young boy, accompanied by his father, returned home from preschool in Minnesota, where school officials claimed he was targeted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The five-year-old, identified as Liam Conejo Ramos, was reportedly used as a lure as officers pursued his father, according to Zena Stenvik, the superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools.
Describing the incident, Stenvik stated that despite a plea from another adult at the residence to care for the child, ICE agents refused and used Liam to knock on the door to determine if anyone else was present at home. Both Liam and his father are currently detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Centre in Texas, as confirmed by the family’s attorney, Marc Prokosch, who criticized the detention of children and asylum-seeking families as cruel and unacceptable.
The situation unfolded in Columbia Heights, a suburb of Minneapolis, amidst escalating tensions following a fatal shooting involving ICE and the subsequent increased immigration enforcement in the region. Department of Homeland Security’s assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, clarified that ICE did not target the child but was focused on arresting his father, identified as Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador.
Contrary to public outcry, U.S. Vice-President JD Vance defended ICE’s actions, stating that the child was taken into custody because his father fled during the arrest. The authorities maintain that they offer parents the choice to remain with their children during apprehension or designate a safe person for their care.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the incident, denouncing the reported detainment of the young child. Governor Walz emphasized the need to halt retaliatory actions by the Trump administration and criticized the use of force against innocent children.
The story sparked outrage and raised questions about the treatment of immigrant families, as school officials revealed that Liam was the fourth student in their district recently apprehended by ICE. The escalating enforcement actions have resulted in multiple arrests, including minors, without parental presence, leading to concerns about the well-being and safety of affected families.