Outrage as US Immigration Agents Detain Five-Year-Old Boy in Minneapolis

Outrage grew Friday at the detention of a five-year-old boyin a massive immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, as US Vice President JDVance defended federal agents’ actions. Thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)agents have been deployed to the Democratic-led city, as the administration ofPresident Donald Trump presses its campaign to deport what it says are millionsof illegal immigrants across the country. Vance confirmed Thursday that the five-year-old boy, LiamConejo Ramos, was among those detained, but argued that agents were protectinghim after his father “ran” from an immigration sweep. “What are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to let afive-year-old child freeze to death?” he said. In Geneva, the UN rights chief Volker Turk called on USauthorities to end the “dehumanizing portrayal and harmful treatment ofmigrants and refugees.” “I am astounded by the now-routine abuse and denigration ofmigrants and refugees,” he said in a statement. “Where is the concern for theirdignity, and our common humanity?” Democratic Texas congressman Joaquin Castro rejected Vance’sexplanation for Ramos’ arrest, branding Homeland Security authorities “sickliars.” Castro said that he had not been able to locate the boy, whowas reportedly being held with his father in San Antonio, Texas. “My staff and I have been working to figure out hiswhereabouts, make sure that he’s safe and also to demand his release by ICE,”he said in a video posted on X. But ICE “have not given us information,” he said. Calls for a day of action against ICE have been circulatingon social media, with a demonstration expected in downtown Minneapolis onFriday. And some activists have called for an “economic blackout,”urging residents not to work, shop or go to school in protest, US mediareported. – ‘Just a baby’ –Former US vice president Kamala Harris said she was“outraged” by Ramos’s detention. “Liam Ramos is just a baby. He should be at home with hisfamily, not used as bait by ICE and held in a Texas detention center,” shewrote on X. Harris shared a photo of the child wearing a blue knittedhat with dangling, white rabbit ears, while a person behind him appears to holdonto his backpack. Another photo circulating online shows Ramos escorted by aman wearing black clothes and a black face covering. Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton accused lawenforcement of “terrorizing a population” and “using children as pawns.” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the federal government wastreating children “like criminals.” Frey said the influx of 3,000 federal agents felt like an“occupation,” the Minnesota Star Tribune newspaper reported. The Homeland Security department rejected claims that ICEagents targeted the child, saying he had been “abandoned” by his father duringan operation to arrest the man. “For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remainedwith the child while the other officers apprehended (his father) Conejo Arias,”it posted on X. “Parents are asked if they want to be removed with theirchildren, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parentdesignates.” – ‘Taking a toll’ –Ramos is one of at least four children detained in the sameMinneapolis school district this month, US media have reported, citing localadministrators. The children’s detention came as the US attorney generalannounced the arrests of three activists accused of disrupting a church servicewith a protest accusing a pastor of working for ICE. Videos of that protest showed dozens of demonstratorschanting “ICE out!” in the church. Minneapolis has been rocked by increasingly tense protestssince federal agents shot and killed US citizen Renee Good on January 7. The officer who fired the shots that killed Good, JonathanRoss, has neither been suspended nor charged with any crime. Trump and hisofficials quickly defended his actions as legitimate self-defense. The lawyer for Ramos and his father, Marc Prokosch, said thepair are not US citizens and followed the legal process in applying for asylumin Minneapolis, which is a sanctuary city, meaning police do not cooperate withfederal immigration sweeps. Vance claimed such local efforts were hindering ICE efforts. “The lack of cooperation between state and local officialsmakes it harder for us to do our job and turns up the temperature,” Vance said. Minnesota has sought a temporary restraining order for theICE operation in the state which, if granted by a federal judge, would pausethe sweeps. There will be a hearing on the application Monday.

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