5-Year-Old Boy Detained by ICE in Minnesota Immigration Operation
5-year-old boy detained with father by ICE in Minnesota immigration raid.
A major controversy has erupted in the United States after federal immigration agents detained a five-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, along with his father during an enforcement operation in Minnesota. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when Liam was returning home from preschool and was taken from a running car in his family’s driveway, according to school officials.
Columbia Heights Public Schools Superintendent Zena Stenvik alleged that immigration officers instructed the child to knock on his home’s door to check if others were inside, describing the act as “essentially using a five-year-old as bait.” She said the family, which arrived in the US in 2024, has an active asylum case and had not been ordered to leave the country. Multiple adults and neighbors reportedly offered to take custody of the child, but agents refused.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), however, denied targeting the child. In a statement, DHS said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was attempting to arrest Liam’s father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, an Ecuadorian national allegedly in the US illegally. DHS claimed the father fled on foot, abandoning the child, prompting an officer to remain with Liam for his safety before both were taken into custody.
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The child and his father were later transferred to an immigration detention facility in Dilley, Texas, where they are believed to be held together. The family’s lawyer, Marc Prokosch, said there has been no direct contact with them so far and that legal and humanitarian options are being explored to secure their release.
The incident has drawn sharp political reactions, with former Vice President Kamala Harris expressing outrage and calling Liam “just a baby” who should not be held in detention. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the story was troubling but defended immigration enforcement, stating the child was detained, not arrested, and questioning what authorities should do in such situations.
The case comes amid intensified immigration crackdowns in Minnesota, where officials say nearly 3,000 arrests have been made in recent weeks. School authorities report growing fear among immigrant families, declining attendance, and emotional trauma among students. Liam’s teacher described him as “kind and loving,” adding that his classmates are waiting for his safe return.
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