Full Breakdown
ICE Detains Five-Year-Old Boy in Minnesota Amid Controversial Immigration Operations
1/24/2026, 9:26:30 PM
Incident Overview: Detention of Liam Ramos
On January 20, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, as they returned home from school. The apprehension occurred in their driveway, with school officials reporting that Liam was used as a means to locate his father. Zena Stenvik, the superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools, described the incident, stating that an ICE agent directed Liam to knock on the door to check if anyone else was home, effectively using the child as "bait."
Context: Operation PARRIS and Recent Arrests
This incident is part of a broader federal operation known as "Operation PARRIS," which has reportedly led to the arrest of approximately 150 refugees in Minnesota since January 9, 2026. The operation aims to conduct thorough background checks and reinterviews of refugee claims, targeting individuals without green cards. Local immigration attorneys have raised concerns about the operation's impact, noting that many detainees are quickly transferred to Texas, complicating their ability to seek legal assistance.
Official Statements and Responses
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, stated that ICE was conducting a "targeted operation" to arrest Conejo Arias, whom she labeled an "illegal alien." McLaughlin asserted that ICE did not target Liam directly, claiming that the father abandoned his child during the arrest. In contrast, Marc Prokosch, the family's attorney, emphasized that Liam and his father had followed legal procedures for asylum and had no deportation orders against them.
Community Impact and Criticism
The detention of Liam has sparked significant outrage within the community. Stenvik expressed her disbelief, questioning the rationale behind detaining a young child: “You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal.” The incident has led to heightened fear among families, with some parents opting to keep their children home from school due to concerns about ICE's presence. Stenvik noted that the emotional toll on students and staff has been profound, stating, “Our children are traumatized. The sense of safety in our community and around our schools is shaken.”
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
There are conflicting narratives regarding the circumstances of the arrest. While ICE maintains that Liam was not the target and that his father fled, school officials and the family’s attorney argue that the detention was unjustified and traumatizing. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security has not responded to inquiries about other recent arrests in the area, leaving gaps in the public understanding of the situation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Why detain a five-year-old? You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal,” — Zena Stenvik, Superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools
- “The family did everything they were supposed to in accordance with how the rules have been set out,” — Marc Prokosch, Attorney for the Ramos family
- “Our children are traumatized. The sense of safety in our community and around our schools is shaken,” — Zena Stenvik, Superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools
The detention of Liam Ramos has raised critical questions about ICE's tactics and the implications of federal immigration operations on vulnerable communities, highlighting the ongoing national debate surrounding immigration enforcement.
