[Handcuffs. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

On January 20th, ICE—US Immigration and Customs Enforcement—arrested and detained a 5-year-old boy along with his father in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, and transported them to Texas.

According to Zena Stenvik, the superintendent of the school district in Columbia Heights, Liam Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias,were arrested in their own driveway on their way home from school.

ICE agents arrested Arias and took Liam out of the car.

Then, they had the young boy knock on the door of his house to see if anyone else was in the house.

The superintendent described this tactic as “essentially using a five-year-old as ‘bait’” to lure the rest of his family out.

His pregnant mother couldn’t open the door, fearing that her other children would be left alone if she was taken as well.

Additionally, opening the door to ICE agents could have been taken as an involuntary agreement to an illegal house search.

Witnessing this scene, the neighbors pleaded to take custody of Liam so he wouldn’t be taken. 

However, these requests were denied by the ICE agents.

Liam and his father were then transported by plane to a detention center in Texas.

Liam is the fourth child to be taken by ICE agents in Minnesota.

Moreover, Marc Prokosch, an attorney representing Liam’s family, asserted that the family had entered the country through a complete legal process.

They had an active asylum case and came through a port of entry—a legal immigration.

“The family did everything they were supposed to in accordance with how the rules have been set out,” he stated. 

“They did not come here illegally. They are not criminals,” said a family member.

JD Vance—the Vice President—visited Minnesota on the 22nd and stated that he understood the concerns of the people.

However, he continued to show support for ICE, saying: “So the story is that ICE detained a 5-year-old. Well, what are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to let a 5-year-old child freeze to death? Are they not supposed to arrest an illegal alien in the United States of America?”

Netizens criticized the ICE agents and the government for taking the freedom of children and endangering the lives of innocent citizens.

The protests by Hollywood actors gained momentum, with stars such as Natalie Portman criticizing ICE.

A survey conducted on the 26th of 1,139 adult US citizens showed that Trump’s approval rating dropped to 38%—a decline from the 12th.

Stenvik said that she and the school department are working together to aid families affected by ICE actions.

“Our role is to educate children during the school day. But now we’re trying to help people navigate this legal system,” Stenvik said.

She emphasized,  “Our main priority is to keep children safe. They’re children. They are not violent criminals. They are little kids.”

Meanwhile, Liam and his father still remain in detention.