ICE detains 5-year-old in Minneapolis as school officials claim child was used as ‘bait’

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Associated PressJanuary 23, 2026 at 09:50 AM

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In Minneapolis, a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, was detained by ICE agents along with his father on Tuesday after arriving home from preschool. School officials allege the agents used the child as "bait" by instructing him to knock on the door of his home. The family, who arrived in the US in 2024 and has an active asylum case, was taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas. According to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, the father requested that the child remain with him. School officials questioned the necessity of detaining a young child who poses no apparent threat. This incident marks the fourth student from the Minneapolis suburb to be detained by immigration officers recently.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Tricia McLaughlin 40% Dilley 40% United States 40% Columbia Heights Public Schools 50% Minnesota 50% Texas ×260% Minneapolis ×260% Department of Homeland Security 60% Zena Stenvik ×370% Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 80% Liam Conejo Ramos ×290%

Keywords

ice detention 100% child detention 90% immigration 80% asylum case 70% family separation 60% federal agents 60% minneapolis 50% department of homeland security 40%