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Updated 23 January 2026 - New details emerge from family lawyer and school officials.
ICE detains young child during enforcement action
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers took a five-year-old boy into custody on Tuesday after his father was approached outside their Minnesota home, according to school authorities and the family's attorney. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from local officials and advocates.
What happened during the arrest
Liam Ramos, a preschooler, was with his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, when ICE agents arrived at their driveway in Columbia Heights, a suburb of Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated the operation targeted Conejo Arias, whom it described as an "illegal alien."
Photos obtained by the BBC, provided by the school district, show Liam wearing a bunny-shaped winter hat while an officer holds his backpack. The images were taken by unidentified but "known and confirmed" community members, according to Columbia Heights Public Schools.
Conflicting accounts from ICE and family
ICE claimed in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) that the child was not detained but was "abandoned" by his father, who allegedly fled when officers approached. The agency said it made "multiple attempts" to return Liam to family members inside the home, but they refused to take custody. The father reportedly insisted the boy remain with him.
Zena Stenvik, superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools, challenged ICE's version, asking, "Why detain a five-year-old? You can't tell me this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal."
Marc Prokosch, the family's lawyer, told reporters on Thursday that both Liam and his father were being held at a detention center in San Antonio, Texas. He stated the family had entered the U.S. from Ecuador in 2024 to seek asylum and had followed all legal protocols.
"This family was not eluding ICE in any way. They were following all the established protocols."
Marc Prokosch, family attorney
Local officials and advocates react
School officials said an ICE agent instructed Liam to knock on the door of the home to check for other occupants. Mary Granlund, a school board member who was present, said she offered to take the boy inside, but officers refused and proceeded with the detention.
Stenvik reported that ICE had detained four students from her district in recent weeks, including a 10-year-old and two 17-year-olds. She described the enforcement actions as "inducing trauma" in the community.
Political fallout and funding debate
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, visiting Minnesota amid protests against immigration enforcement, defended ICE's actions. He argued that agents had no choice because the father "ran" and posed a risk to the child in freezing temperatures.
"What are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to let a five-year-old child freeze to death? Are they not supposed to arrest an illegal alien in the United States of America?"
JD Vance, U.S. Vice President
The DHS maintains its operations target "the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens" to enhance public safety. Gregory Bovino of the U.S. Border Patrol stated at a press conference that the agency's actions are "lawful, targeted, and focused on individuals who pose a serious threat."
On Thursday, seven House Democrats joined Republicans to pass a $1.2 trillion government funding bill, which includes $64.4 billion for DHS, with $10 billion allocated to ICE. The measure, approved 220-207, must still clear the Senate. Democrats who supported the bill cited the need to fund the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Broader context of enforcement in Minnesota
The incident is part of Operation Metro Surge, an ICE initiative that has sparked outrage in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and other Minnesota cities. On 7 January, a federal officer fatally shot Renee Good, 37, during a separate enforcement action, further escalating tensions. The Trump administration claimed Good used her vehicle as a weapon, and the officer acted in self-defense.
