ICE detains 5-year-old after using him to 'bait' Ecuadorian father
What's the story
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have detained a five-year-old boy in Minnesota after allegedly using him as bait to arrest his father. The federal agents took Liam Conejo Ramos from a running car in the family's driveway on Tuesday afternoon, Columbia Heights Public Schools Superintendent Zena Stenvik said. The officers then instructed the boy to knock on the door to his home to see if anyone else was inside, "essentially using a five-year-old as bait," Stenvik stated.
Official statement
ICE operation targets father, not child
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, however, clarified that "ICE did NOT target a child." She said the operation was aimed at arresting Liam's father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, from Ecuador, who has a pending asylum case. McLaughlin stressed that for the child's safety, an ICE officer stayed with him while others apprehended his father. In a post on X, ICE claimed a "criminal illegal alien ABANDONED his child as he fled from ICE officers."
ICE
They are being held in Texas
ICE also claimed that officers made multiple attempts to get the family inside the house to take custody of the child. "They refused to accept custody of the child. The father told officers he wanted the child to remain with him," it said on X. Marc Prokosch, a lawyer for the family, told a press conference on Thursday that Liam and his father were being held in a detention facility in Texas.
Legal situation
Family's asylum case and detention conditions revealed
The Ramos family, who came to the US in 2024, has an active asylum case and had not been ordered to leave the country. Taking to X, former Vice President Kamala Harris said Liam was just a baby. who should be at home with his family, "not used as bait by ICE." Liam is the fourth student from Columbia Heights Public Schools to be detained by ICE recently.
Detention conditions
Dilley detention facility conditions under scrutiny
The father-son duo is being held in an immigration lockup in Dilley, Texas. The Dilley detention facility has come under scrutiny for its deteriorating conditions. Leecia Welch, chief legal counsel at advocacy group Children's Rights, described the situation as "worse than ever." She said many children were sick and malnourished due to prolonged detention. US Vice President JD Vance acknowledged hearing about Liam's case but was unsure what federal agents could have done differently.
Public response
Protests and arrests following immigration raids
The DHS claims it is apprehending the "worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens" in an effort to restore public safety in Minnesota. At a DHS press conference on Tuesday, US Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino stated, "Our operations are lawful, targeted, and focused on individuals who pose a serious threat to this community." On 7 January, an ICE agent fatally shot a woman named Renee Good in Minneapolis, sparking widespread protests and condemnation.