5-Yr-Old Detained in US After Returning from Pre-School, Vance Defends ICE

The incident occurred in Columbia Heights of Minneapolis, making the boy the 4th child from the area to be held.

A five-year-old boy was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minnesota on 20 January.

(Photo: X/Kamala Harris)

A five-year-old boy was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minnesota on 20 January. The child, who had just returned home from pre-school, was taken along with his father to a detention facility in Texas.

The incident occurred in the Columbia Heights suburb of Minneapolis, making the boy the fourth student from the area to be detained by immigration officers in recent weeks.

According to The Hindu, federal agents approached the family’s home and instructed the child to knock on the door to check if other people were inside, which a school official described as “essentially using a 5-year-old as bait.” The officers did not leave the child with another adult present at the home or with a school district official, despite offers to do so.

As reported by Deccan Herald, the child and his father were transported to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas.

The school district superintendent, Zena Stenvik, stated that ICE agents had previously apprehended other students in the area, including two 17-year-olds and a 10-year-old. The child’s mother remained inside the home during the incident, reportedly on the advice of the father.

As highlighted by BBC, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that ICE did not target the child, but was conducting an operation against his father, who was identified as Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias. DHS said the father fled, leaving the child behind, and that for the child’s safety, an officer stayed with him while others apprehended the father.

Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.