On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained a five-year-old boy in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, while he was arriving home from school.
Per The Washington Post, Liam Ramos, a preschooler, and his father were apprehended in the driveway of their home by ICE agents and later transported to a detention center in Texas, according to school officials.
The incident has drawn widespread concern and condemnation from local authorities and school leaders. Zena Stenvik, the superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools, shared details of the encounter during a press conference on Wednesday, describing how she arrived at the home to find Liam and his father already in custody.
She explained that an ICE agent had led the young boy to his front door and instructed him to knock, seemingly using him as leverage in an effort to ensure the agents could confirm no one else was home.
The impact on the community and the school district
This recent detention is not an isolated case in the area. In the past two weeks, three other children from the district have been taken by federal immigration agents.
This surge in ICE activity is part of a broader enforcement effort in the region during the Trump administration. School officials noted that families are increasingly fearful, with some choosing to keep their children home out of concern for their safety.
Marc Prokosch, an attorney representing the Ramos family, stated that the family had followed the proper legal process, presenting evidence of their active asylum case. Prokosch emphasized that neither Liam nor his father had any legal order against them and that their detention appeared to be an overreach by ICE.
He criticized the government’s actions, saying via The Guardian, “They did not come here illegally. They are not criminals.” The detention of a young child has led to discussions about the psychological toll these actions may have on both the immediate family and the larger community.
The wider context of ICE activity in the region
The heightened presence of ICE agents has left an indelible mark on the Columbia Heights community. In addition to Liam’s detention, a 17-year-old student was also apprehended that same day in a separate incident, and another 17-year-old girl and her mother were detained earlier in January.
Stenvik has voiced her concerns about the broader impact, stating that the actions of ICE are deeply unsettling and harmful to children and families in the area. She added per The Guardian, “Our children are traumatized. The sense of safety in our community and around our schools is shaken.”
School officials, including teachers and administrators, have rallied in support of the Ramos family and other impacted families, offering legal assistance and emotional support. The district is focused on ensuring that students feel safe while navigating the anxiety and fear generated by these recent ICE operations.