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Federal agents detained a 5-year-old boy and his father from their Minnesota home Tuesday, making the child the fourth student from the same Minneapolis suburb to be taken into custody by immigration authorities in recent weeks, according to school officials and the family’s attorney.
Liam Conejo Ramos was taken by federal agents from a running car in his family’s driveway as he returned home from preschool. Columbia Heights Public Schools Superintendent Zena Stenvik said at a news conference that officers instructed the child to knock on his front door to check if others were inside, which she characterized as “essentially using a 5-year-old as bait.”
The Department of Homeland Security disputed this characterization. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that “ICE did NOT target a child” and explained that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was conducting an operation to arrest the boy’s father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who she identified as an Ecuadorian national in the country illegally.
According to McLaughlin, Conejo Arias fled on foot, “abandoning his child,” which led an ICE officer to remain with the child while others apprehended the father. The agency maintains that parents in custody are given the option to be removed with their children or have them placed with a person of their choosing.
However, Stenvik contended that another adult who lives at the residence was outside when the father and son were taken, but agents refused to leave Liam with that person. DHS did not immediately respond to inquiries about whether Conejo Arias had requested to keep his son with him.
Marc Prokosch, the family’s attorney, told reporters that Liam and his father were being held in a family detention cell in Texas. He emphasized that the family has an active asylum case and has not been ordered to leave the country.
“Every step of their immigration process has been doing what they’ve been asked to do,” Prokosch said. “So this is just cruelty.”
The incident occurs amid intensified immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota. Greg Bovino, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection official who has become the public face of recent operations, claimed that 3,000 “of some of the most dangerous offenders” have been arrested in Minnesota over the past six weeks.
Immigrant advocates have questioned these figures. Julia Decker, policy director at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, noted that advocacy groups have no means of independently verifying the government’s arrest numbers or characterizations of those in custody.
The Columbia Heights school district, which serves approximately 3,400 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, has been particularly affected by these enforcement actions. Superintendent Stenvik reported that Liam is the fourth student from the district detained by ICE recently. A 17-year-old was taken into custody Tuesday while heading to school, while a 10-year-old and another 17-year-old were detained in separate incidents.
According to Stenvik, the majority of the district’s student population comes from immigrant families. School officials have observed a significant decline in attendance over the past two weeks, with one day seeing approximately one-third of students absent.
Ella Sullivan, Liam’s teacher, described the 5-year-old as “kind and loving.”
“His classmates miss him,” she said. “And all I want is for him to be safe and back here.”
The case highlights growing tensions around immigration enforcement policies, particularly those affecting children and families with pending asylum claims. Immigration authorities maintain that their operations target individuals with criminal records or who pose security threats, but critics argue that enforcement actions are increasingly affecting vulnerable populations, including school-age children who are integrated into their communities.
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9 Comments
The reported use of a 5-year-old child as ‘bait’ to detain their parent is deeply troubling. I hope the government provides a clear and transparent explanation of the circumstances and takes steps to ensure the wellbeing of the child.
Concerning to hear that a young child was potentially used as ‘bait’ by authorities. I hope a full investigation is conducted to understand the facts and ensure such practices are not condoned.
This is a troubling report that raises significant questions about the tactics and judgment of the federal agents involved. The wellbeing of the child should be the top priority in any enforcement action.
While immigration enforcement is complex, detaining a young child in this manner seems heavy-handed and concerning. I hope the authorities can provide a full, transparent explanation of the circumstances and their justification.
Agreed, the details around this incident need to be clarified. Regardless of the legal status of the parent, using a child in this way appears highly questionable and warrants further scrutiny.
If the school’s account is accurate, then this appears to be an unethical and traumatic incident for the child. Authorities must be held accountable for any mistreatment or exploitation of minors, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
This is a very concerning incident. Using a young child in this way seems like an unacceptable tactic, even in the context of immigration enforcement. I hope the authorities can provide a satisfactory explanation and ensure the child’s safety.
This is a troubling situation. Using a 5-year-old child as ‘bait’ to detain their parent is unethical and raises serious concerns about the treatment of immigrant families. I hope this incident is thoroughly investigated.
I agree, the school’s characterization of the child being used as ‘bait’ is very disturbing. Authorities should be focused on humane, lawful practices that protect vulnerable children, not exploit them.