ICE Detains Father and Five-Year-Old Son in Minnesota Amid Asylum Seekers' Concerns

Wed Feb 04 2026 10:29:45 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The recent detention of a five-year-old boy and his father by ICE during an immigration operation has sparked outrage over the treatment of families seeking asylum in the U.S.

In Minnesota, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father Adrian Conejo Arias during an operation. While ICE claims the child was not targeted, the community and school officials condemn the actions, questioning the necessity of detaining a child. Family representatives assert they were following asylum protocols and express concerns over the increasing number of student detentions in the area.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detained a five-year-old boy on Tuesday during an immigration enforcement operation, Minnesota school officials and the family's lawyer have said.

Pre-schooler Liam Ramos was with his father - named by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias - when Conejo Arias was approached by agents on his driveway.

In a statement posted on X, the DHS said ICE did NOT target a child, but was conducting an operation against his father, an illegal alien who abandoned his son when approached.

Zena Stenvik, the Columbia Heights Public Schools superintendent, asked: Why detain a five-year-old? You can't tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal.

In a post on X, ICE denied the child had been detained. A criminal illegal alien ABANDONED his child as he fled from ICE officers, the agency said, adding that multiple attempts were made to bring the child inside and ensure his safety.

Photos provided to the BBC by the school district show Liam wearing a bunny-shaped winter hat. The pictures were described as bystander photos without specifying the individuals involved.

Marc Prokosch, representing the family, stated that Liam and his father were being held at a detention center in San Antonio, Texas, and emphasized they were lawful asylum seekers, not evading ICE.

Vice-President JD Vance commented on the incident, defending ICE's actions by stating that the arrest was necessary due to the father fleeing from authorities.

School officials are concerned about the increasing presence of ICE in the community, leading to trauma among families and students. This incident has escalated calls for better treatment of asylum seekers and clearer policies surrounding immigration enforcement in schools.