US officers detain 5-year-old boy as Minnesota immigration raids continue

Al JazeeraEN 4 min read 100% complete by Lyndal RowlandsJanuary 23, 2026 at 03:05 AM

AI Summary

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On January 20, 2026, US ICE officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, detained five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos as he arrived home from preschool. School officials allege the agents used the child to lure out his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who is seeking asylum in the US. According to the school superintendent, the family arrived in the US in 2024 and has an active asylum case. ICE stated they were targeting the father, not the child, and that an officer stayed with the boy for his safety while his father was apprehended. The agency also claims parents can choose to be deported with their children or have them placed with a guardian. School officials report that Liam is the fourth student from the Columbia Heights Public Schools to be detained by ICE in recent weeks.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Ecuador 40% Marc Prokosch 40% Department of Homeland Security 50% Tricia McLaughlin ×250% Columbia Heights Public Schools ×250% Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias ×260% Zena Stenvik ×260% Minneapolis 60% Minnesota ×370% United States ×270% United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ×580% Liam Conejo Ramos ×590%

Keywords

ice 90% immigration raids 90% child detention 80% asylum case 70% minnesota 60% immigration enforcement 50% family separation 50% us immigration and customs enforcement 40%