ICE Detains 5-Year-Old Minnesota Boy; School Officials Allege Child Was Used as ‘Bait’

A 5-year-old boy and his father were detained by US immigration authorities in Minnesota, sparking national controversy. School officials claim ICE agents used the child as "bait" to identify others in the home.

US federal immigration authorities detained a 5-year-old boy named Liam Conejo Ramos along with his father outside their home in Columbia Heights, a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota — an action that has sparked national controversy and outrage.

According to local school officials and the family’s legal representative, the boy was used as “bait” by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the operation to identify and detain others at the residence.

School leaders from the Columbia Heights Public Schools district disclosed that the incident occurred when Liam and his father arrived home from preschool. Federal agents approached them in the family’s driveway, took the child from a running vehicle, and — according to these officials — directed him to knock on the front door of the home, allegedly to see if other individuals were present.

The claim that agents effectively deployed a young child in this manner has drawn sharp condemnation from educators, community members, and advocacy groups, who described the method as inhumane and deeply troubling.

Officials have stressed that Liam and his father were participating in a lawful asylum claim and had not received an order of deportation. The district superintendent publicly questioned the necessity and morality of detaining a child so young, asserting that the child could in no way be a threat or “classified as a violent criminal.” Educators also highlighted that Liam’s classmates and teachers are emotionally affected, underscoring the psychological toll such enforcement actions are taking on students and families within the community.

In response to the accusations, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offered a different account, stating that ICE was not targeting a child but was instead focused on apprehending the boy’s father, who they identified as an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador. DHS officials contended that the father fled from federal agents, thereby leaving the child behind, and that agents remained with the boy solely for his safety while they pursued the adult. DHS also stated that officers made attempts to allow the child to be taken into the care of other adults on the scene, but claimed these offers were refused — although this account has been contested by school and community sources.

Following their detention, both the 5-year-old and his father were transported to a detention facility in Texas, far from their Minnesota community. The facility, known for housing families in immigration proceedings, has previously been criticized by advocates for conditions that may be difficult for children — such as limited medical care and prolonged confinement.

This incident is not isolated. District officials reported that multiple students from the Columbia Heights area have been taken by federal immigration agents in recent weeks, including older minors in separate actions. The broader pattern of enforcement has contributed to an atmosphere of fear among immigrant families in the region, with some parents now hesitant to send their children to school for fear of similar encounters.

The case has ignited nationwide debate, with critics arguing that the use of such tactics against children reflects a troubling escalation in immigration enforcement that prioritizes apprehension over humanitarian concerns. Meanwhile, federal authorities maintain their operations are lawful and necessary, emphasizing the challenges and risks involved in apprehending undocumented immigrants who may evade contact with agents.