23.01.2026 18:20
A raid conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the state of Minnesota has sparked one of the biggest human rights violation debates in recent years. The detention of 5-year-old Liam Ramos, a kindergarten student, was described by school officials as an "illegal arrest," while federal authorities referred to the incident as a "cold rescue operation."
A recent immigration operation in the state of Minnesota, USA, has sparked a significant legal and human rights debate in the country. The detention of 5-year-old Liam Ramos during the operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has put local authorities at odds with the federal government.
ALLEGATION OF DETENTION ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL
The incident began on January 20 when little Liam and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, were stopped in front of their home while returning from kindergarten. While the school administration and the family lawyer claim that the 5-year-old child was "detained," according to reports from BBC Turkish, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) denied this claim, asserting that the agents were only "protecting the child."
CONFLICTING STATEMENTS: "WAS HE ABANDONED OR TAKEN BY FORCE?"
The sharp differences between the parties' claims are striking:
ICE claims that the father, whom they describe as an "illegal immigrant," abandoned his child in freezing cold and fled upon seeing the agents, and therefore they had to ensure the child's safety.
School principal Zena Stenvik and school board members argue that despite there being other adults at home who could take the child, ICE agents refused to hand little Liam over and used the child like a "decoy" to knock on the door.
HARSH DEFENSE FROM JD VANCE
The political dimension of the incident is also quite heated. U.S. Vice President JD Vance defended the ICE agents, stating, "What were the agents supposed to do? Were they going to allow a five-year-old child to freeze to death?" However, family lawyer Marc Prokosch confirmed that the family did not flee and complied with all legal protocols, stating that the father and son were held in a detention center in Texas.
This scandal erupted at a time when the U.S. House of Representatives approved a massive $1.2 trillion budget that includes immigration offices.
Principal Stenvik emphasized the humanitarian aspect beyond budgets, stating, "ICE's intense activities in our community are causing deep trauma."
THE DEATH OF A MOTHER OF 3 CHILDREN SHOOK THE COUNTRY
On January 8, ICE agents also shot and killed a mother of three in her vehicle in Minneapolis. ICE officials claimed that they blocked the path of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good to prevent her from carrying out her business. The agents surrounded Good's vehicle and told her to get out, during which a police officer shot and killed her at very close range as she attempted to drive away.