Minnesota Fourth-Grader Released from ICE Custody After Month-Long Detention
A ten-year-old girl from Minnesota has been released from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody alongside her mother, following a month-long detention at a facility in Texas that is currently grappling with a measles outbreak. Elizabeth Zuna Caisaguano, a fourth-grade student, and her mother walked free from the Dilley, Texas, immigration detention centre on Tuesday night, according to statements from school officials.
Detention Despite Active Asylum Proceedings
The family, originally from Ecuador, was taken into custody by federal agents on 6 January. Notably, they have an active asylum case pending, a fact highlighted by school authorities who expressed dismay at the detention. Elizabeth was the first of five students from the Columbia Heights school district to be detained by ICE in recent operations.
Federal judge Fred Biery of the Texas Western District intervened on Monday, issuing an order that blocked the removal or transfer of Elizabeth and her mother. The order gave the federal government five days to respond to the family's petition for release. Judge Biery remarked, "This didn't have to happen. ... They did everything they were supposed to do and still found themselves detained and separated."
Conditions at the Dilley Facility
The Dilley detention centre, which houses families, has been confirmed by federal officials as the site of a measles outbreak, raising significant concerns about the health and safety of detainees, particularly children. The release comes amidst ongoing scrutiny of conditions within ICE facilities nationwide.
Shift in Federal Agent Deployment in Minnesota
In a related development, Tom Homan, the White House border appointee, announced that approximately 700 federal agents would be withdrawn from Minnesota. This represents a substantial reduction in on-the-ground personnel; however, around 2,000 agents will remain stationed in the state, a figure still considerably higher than typical operational levels for the region.
The case underscores the complex and often contentious nature of US immigration enforcement, particularly concerning families and children with ongoing legal claims for protection.
