The child, identified as Liam Konkojo Ramos, was taken into custody on Tuesday while traveling on a school bus route near his home. According to Columbia Heights Public Schools Superintendent Jenna Stanwick, ICE agents stopped a moving vehicle, removed the child, and later asked him to knock on the door of his residence to check whether anyone was inside. When the family eventually opened the door to retrieve the child, officers arrested the father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, and took both into custody. They were later transferred to an immigration detention facility in Dilley, Texas.
Stanwick accused ICE of “using a child as bait” during the operation, calling the incident deeply troubling and inappropriate. School officials said agents refused to leave the child with other adults present in the home or with a neighbour, despite requests.
The US Department of Homeland Security defended the action, stating that the father was the intended target of the operation and that the child was not arrested but detained for safety reasons. Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the father requested that his child remain with him, adding that an agent stayed with the child at all times to ensure his welfare. ICE maintained that parents are given the option to remain with their children during detention or designate a trusted individual to take custody.
US Vice President JD Vance addressed the incident during a meeting with local leaders in Minneapolis, stating that the child had been “detained, not arrested,” and that agents could not leave a minor unattended in freezing conditions. He defended broader enforcement efforts, saying arrests of undocumented individuals were necessary.
The family’s lawyer and school officials said the family arrived in the US in 2024 and has a pending asylum application, with no deportation order issued. Liam is the fourth student from the district to be detained by immigration authorities.
The case has intensified concerns about the treatment of minors during immigration enforcement. Children’s rights attorney Leecia Welch said the number of detained children has risen sharply, with many held for extended periods. Federal data indicates nearly 400 children were in custody nationwide as of December, some reportedly experiencing illness and psychological distress.
The incident has also heightened fear in local schools. Columbia Heights Public Schools, which serves about 3,400 students, many from immigrant families, reported a sharp drop in attendance, with nearly one-third of students absent on one recent day. Officials alleged ICE activity near school routes has created widespread anxiety among families.
The episode has renewed debate over enforcement practices involving children and the balance between immigration control and child welfare.
