US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers briefly detained a five-year-old boy during an immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, according to local school officials. The incident has drawn criticism and renewed concern over the impact of federal actions on children.
The incident happened on Tuesday as the child, identified by school authorities as Liam Ramos, returned home from preschool. He was with his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, when federal agents approached the family’s driveway.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the operation was focused on the father, not the child. In a statement posted on social media, the agency said ICE “did not target a child.” It described the action as a targeted arrest of an individual who was in the country without legal status.
DHS added that the father left his son behind when agents moved in to detain him.
School officials challenged the account and raised concerns about how officers handled the situation. Columbia Heights Public Schools Superintendent Zena Stenvik questioned why authorities detained a young child at all.
She said there was no justification for treating a five-year-old as a security threat.
Photographs shared by the school district show a young boy wearing a winter hat while an officer holds his backpack outside the home. Community members who witnessed the incident took the images, district officials said.
Marc Prokosch, the family’s lawyer, told reporters that authorities likely transferred both the father and the child to a detention facility in Texas. School officials said Conejo Arias has an active asylum case and does not have a final deportation order.
Stenvik said school staff were present at the home shortly after the incident to support the family. She added that the case is not isolated. According to the district, ICE has recently detained four students connected to local schools, including a 10-year-old and two 17-year-olds.
DHS said officers followed standard procedures. The agency said one officer remained with the child while others detained the father. The agency said officers give parents the option to remain with their children or place them with a trusted adult.
School officials said another adult inside the home asked to take the child indoors, but officers refused the request. They also said an officer asked the boy to knock on the door to see if anyone else was inside. DHS has not publicly responded to those claims.
Columbia Heights Public Schools Board of Education Chair Mary Granlund said the incident has left families feeling afraid. She said children should feel safe going to school and waiting for buses without fear of enforcement actions.
The detention occurred during a wider federal effort in Minnesota known as Operation Metro Surge. Authorities say the operation targets individuals who pose public safety risks. DHS has said it focuses on people with criminal backgrounds.
The operation has faced criticism across the state, particularly in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Community leaders and residents have raised concerns about its impact. Tensions rose earlier this month after a federal officer fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, triggering protests and condemnation from officials.
School leaders and immigration advocates have since called for clearer limits on enforcement practices. They warn that children should not be placed at the center of immigration operations.
