ICE has reportedly detained four children from the Columbia Heights school district in Minnesota, including 5-year-old preschooler Liam Ramos \u2014 sparking outrage among school officials and families.<\/p>\n
According to the district, Liam was taken into custody with his father while returning home from school on January 20 and later transported to a detention center in Texas. Superintendent Zena Stenvik said an ICE agent led the child to knock on his front door to check if anyone else was home, calling it \u201cusing a five-year-old as bait.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite pleas from another adult to care for the boy, ICE refused. Liam\u2019s attorney confirmed the family entered the U.S. legally and has an active asylum case.<\/p>\n
The other detained students include a 10-year-old taken with her mother and two 17-year-olds detained on separate occasions. Stenvik said ICE activity near schools has traumatized children and left families afraid to send them to class.<\/p>\n
ICE defended the operation, saying the father was the target and denying that the child was intentionally detained. Photos released by the school district, however, show Liam standing outside his home with ICE agents.<\/p>\n
School officials say their priority is protecting children, stressing that \u201cthey are little kids \u2014 not criminals.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"