Federal Officers Detain Child and Father in Minnesota
A 5-year-old boy, identified as Liam Conejo Ramos, was detained by federal immigration officers in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, on Tuesday, January 20, along with his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias. The detention occurred in their driveway shortly after Liam returned home from preschool. This incident has drawn significant attention and controversy, particularly due to allegations made by school officials.
Allegations of 'Bait' and Official Responses
Zena Stenvik, Superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools, alleged that federal agents instructed Liam to knock on his door to determine if other individuals were inside the residence, describing the action as 'essentially using a 5-year-old as bait'. This claim has been widely reported and has fueled public concern.
In response, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin denied that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) targeted the child. McLaughlin stated that ICE was conducting an operation to apprehend the father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who is an Ecuadorian national allegedly residing in the U.S. illegally. DHS further claimed that the father 'fled on foot—abandoning his child', and an ICE officer remained with Liam for his safety while other officers apprehended Mr. Conejo Arias.
Family's Legal Status and Transfer to Texas
The family's lawyer, Marc Prokosch, confirmed that Liam and his father have an active asylum case in the U.S. Despite this, both Liam and Mr. Conejo Arias have been transported over 1,000 miles from Minnesota to a federal detention facility in Dilley, Texas.
Broader Context and Community Impact
This incident is not isolated. According to Columbia Heights Public Schools, Liam is one of at least four students from their district who have been detained by ICE recently. The other students include a 10-year-old girl and two 17-year-olds. These enforcement actions have reportedly generated significant fear within the immigrant community in Minnesota, leading to a noticeable decrease in school attendance and prompting protests in Minneapolis and other cities.
5 Comments
KittyKat
Don't break the law if you don't want to deal with the consequences.
Noir Black
The fear generated in the community is a real consequence of these actions, which is troubling. Yet, ICE does have a mandate to apprehend individuals residing in the country without legal status.
Mariposa
This incident highlights the immense stress on both immigrant families and enforcement agencies. We need a more efficient and humane asylum process to prevent such heartbreaking encounters.
Africa
The allegation of using a child as bait is alarming and needs a full investigation. Still, we should also consider the full context of the father's alleged actions before assigning sole blame.
Coccinella
This is beyond cruel. A child with an active asylum case shouldn't be treated like this.