**COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, MN** – A chilling pattern of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions involving children has sent ripples of alarm through a Minnesota community, culminating in the apprehension of a five-year-old boy and his father during what school officials have decried as a tactic to “bait” the parent. The incident, which occurred on a Tuesday afternoon, has ignited a fierce debate over immigration enforcement practices, particularly concerning the vulnerability of minors.
The young detainee, identified as Liam Conejo Ramos, was reportedly with his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, in their driveway when immigration agents approached. According to school administrators in the Columbia Heights Public Schools district, the agents’ objective was to arrest the father, who is understood to be an Ecuadorian national with a pending asylum claim in the United States. While ICE maintains that the operation was not aimed at the child and that the father absconded, leaving his son behind, school superintendent Zena Stenvik articulated a starkly different perspective. "Why detain a five-year-old?" Stenvik questioned, her voice tinged with disbelief. "You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal."
This latest detention follows a disturbing trend, with at least four children from the same school district reportedly being taken into custody by ICE in recent weeks. The detained minors have ranged in age from the 5-year-old Liam to a 10-year-old and two 17-year-olds. Reports indicate that parents have been separated from their children during these apprehensions, exacerbating the trauma for already vulnerable families. The Department of Homeland Security, through spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, defended the agency's actions, stating, "ICE did NOT target a child. For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias." DHS further asserted that their officers stayed with Liam for his protection and attempted to place him with relatives, which they claim was refused.
The father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias as identified by DHS, has a pending asylum case and, according to available information, has not been subject to an order of removal. The family reportedly arrived in the United States in 2024. Despite the father's pending legal status, immigration agents, described by witnesses as armed and masked, conducted the operation. Accounts suggest that officers allegedly instructed the young boy to knock on the door to ascertain if other individuals were present, and made multiple attempts to coax the family indoors before the father fled.
The detentions have cast a pall of fear over the Columbia Heights community, a diverse area where many families are navigating the complexities of immigration. Educators and local officials are grappling with the psychological toll these events are having on students and their families, questioning the proportionality of such enforcement actions when very young children are involved. The school board chair, Mary Granlund, has been a vocal critic, highlighting the distress within the school community.
The father and son are now reportedly in custody in San Antonio, Texas. While DHS maintains that such operations are primarily aimed at individuals with criminal histories, the repeated instances of young children being caught in the crosshairs of immigration enforcement have amplified concerns about the human cost of these policies. The situation in Minnesota serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions and the profound impact of immigration enforcement on the lives of children and families.