The Department of Homeland Security has issued an official statement following accusations that ICE agents in Minnesota detained a five-year-old boy.
The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday (20 Jan), while preschooler Liam Ramos was making his way home from school.
According to The Guardian, the toddler and his father arrested by a group of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers whilst walking up in their driveway, before being taken into custody.
Zena Stenvik, the superintendent of Liam's school district, told press the pair were subsequently transported to at Texas detention centre, being accused of living in the States illegally. She claimed she drove straight over to the Ramos family home after leaning of the horror that unfolded, where found the Ramos family's car still running.
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Stenvik was informed at the scene that an ICE agent had approached Liam first, telling the child to lead the team to his front door and ask to be let in.
In a gut-wrenching statement, the superintendent accused the team of 'essentially using a five-year-old as bait', 'in order to see if anyone else was home'.
She added that another adult who'd been living at the family home had pleaded with ICE officers to take Liam into her care while his father was arrested, but was denied. The child's older brother arrived home 20 minutes later, to find his father and sibling had been taken away.
In response to criticism the Republican government have received in light of this news, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security issued a fiery statement online.
"ICE did NOT target a child. The child was ABANDONED," they alleged. "On January 20, ICE conducted a targeted operation to arrest Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias an illegal alien from Ecuador who was RELEASED into the U.S. by the Biden administration.
"As agents approached the driver Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, fled on foot—abandoning his child. For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias."
The statement continued: "Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates. This is consistent with past administration’s immigration enforcement.
"Parents can take control of their departure and receive a free flight and $2,600 with the CBP Home app. By using the CBP Home app illegal aliens reserve the chance to come back the right legal way."
The Ramos family's attorney Marc Prokosch previously emphasised that Liam and his father have an active asylum case, as well as shared paperwork confirming that they entered America through a port of entry - the only official way to enter.
"The family did everything they were supposed to in accordance with how the rules have been set out," Prokosch continued. "They did not come here illegally. They are not criminals."
The lawyer added that, being that there's no deportation order in place against Liam nor his father, they shouldn't be detained.
According to Stenvik, three other children from the same suburban Columbia Heights school district have been detained by ICE in the last month; a 10-year-old fourth grade student and her mother, and two 17-year-olds.
She claimed agents are 'roaming our neighbourhoods, circling our schools, following our buses, coming into our parking lots and taking our kids'.
"I can speak on behalf of all school staff when I say our hearts are shattered," the superintendent went on. "After our fourth student was taken yesterday, I just thought someone has to hear the story.
"They’re taking children."
Topics: Donald Trump, News, Politics, US News
Rhianna Benson