Minnesota Immigration Raid Sparks Outrage as Five-Year-Old Boy Detained
Federal immigration officers have been accused of using a five-year-old Ecuadorian boy as "bait" during an enforcement operation in Minnesota, according to neighbours and school officials. The incident has ignited fierce debate over America's immigration policies under the Trump administration, with conflicting narratives emerging about what transpired during the controversial detention.
Conflicting Accounts of the Minnesota Incident
The Department of Homeland Security has categorically denied allegations that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents used the child to gain access to the family home, calling such descriptions an "abject lie." Government officials maintain that the father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, fled on foot and abandoned his son, Liam Conejo Ramos, in a running vehicle in their driveway.
However, Columbia Heights Public Schools Superintendent Zena Stenvik told reporters a different story. She claimed that officers instructed the five-year-old boy to knock on his own door to see if other people were inside, "essentially using a 5-year-old as bait." School officials further stated that agents refused to leave Liam with other adults who offered to care for him, including a neighbour with documented authorisation from the parents.
Trump Administration Officials Respond
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller confirmed that the father entered the United States illegally in December 2024, though the family's attorney maintains he had a pending asylum claim allowing him to remain in the country legally. The dueling narratives come just two weeks after another controversial incident in Minneapolis, where witnesses described the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer as a blatant abuse of power.
At a news conference on Friday, Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino criticised what he termed the "false media narrative" surrounding the case. Meanwhile, Marcos Charles, acting executive associate director of ICE enforcement and removal operations, faulted the father for "abandoning his child in the middle of winter in a vehicle."
Current Whereabouts and Detention Conditions
The father and son are currently being held at a family detention facility in Dilley, Texas, near San Antonio. Leecia Welch, chief legal counsel at Children's Rights who recently visited the facility, reported that conditions have deteriorated significantly, with children suffering from malnutrition and illness after prolonged detention periods.
"The number of children had skyrocketed and significant numbers of children had been detained for over 100 days," Welch stated, adding that "nearly every child we spoke to was sick." In contrast, ICE officials maintain that detainees at family centers receive "top-notch care" including medical services, education, and recreational activities.
Policy Context and Legal Implications
The incident raises serious questions about the Trump administration's "Detained Parents Directive," issued last July, which states that ICE "should under no circumstances take custody of children or transport them" during enforcement actions. The policy includes exemptions for when individuals could lose their immigration status and requires agents to allow parents time to make alternate care arrangements.
Neha Desai, managing director at Children's Human Rights and Dignity at the National Center for Youth Law, emphasised that "when ICE detains a parent, its own policy requires them to allow time for arrangements to be made for the child's care." The family's attorney, Marc Prokosch, confirmed they are exploring legal options to secure the release of both father and son from detention.
As the controversy continues to unfold, a photograph of young Liam wearing a beanie and Spiderman backpack has circulated widely on social media, becoming a powerful symbol in the ongoing national debate about immigration enforcement practices and their impact on vulnerable children.
