A young boy returning home from preschool with his father in Minnesota encountered a troubling situation, as captured in photographs shared by school officials. The child, identified as Liam Conejo Ramos, was stopped by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents outside his residence in Columbia Heights, Minn., on Tuesday.
According to Zena Stenvik, the superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools, Liam, a five-year-old boy wearing a distinctive blue tuque and carrying a Spider-Man backpack, was used as a tactic by federal officers in their pursuit of his father. Despite pleas from another adult at the scene to allow them to care for the child, the agents proceeded to involve Liam in their operation by escorting him to the door and instructing him to knock, essentially using him as a lure.
Both Liam and his father are currently held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Centre in Texas, as confirmed by the family’s lawyer, Marc Prokosch. Prokosch condemned the detention of children and families seeking asylum, labeling it as inhumane and unacceptable.
The incident took place in the midst of heightened immigration enforcement activities in Minneapolis, which have sparked protests and tensions following a recent fatal shooting involving ICE agents. Contrary to claims that the child was targeted, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin clarified that ICE was conducting a targeted operation aimed at Liam’s father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, described as an “illegal alien from Ecuador.”
During a press conference in Minnesota, U.S. Vice-President JD Vance reiterated McLaughlin’s statement, emphasizing that ICE officers had to ensure Liam’s safety after his father fled upon their approach. The authorities offered the parent the choice to be removed with their child or to designate a safe person for the child’s care.
Critical voices, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, denounced the reported detainment of the young child. Governor Walz highlighted concerns over the administration’s punitive actions and emphasized the need for safety, freedom, and protection of children.
Further details regarding Liam’s situation post-arrest and his current whereabouts remain undisclosed by the Department of Homeland Security, prompting ongoing requests for information from CBC News. School officials, who provided the images of Liam, expressed distress over multiple student detentions by ICE agents in recent weeks within their district, underscoring the disruptive impact on families and the community.