In a shocking incident, ICE agents detained five-year-old Liam Ramos during an enforcement operation against his father in Minnesota. The child's detention has ignited a fierce backlash from community members and officials.

ICE maintains that their operation targeted Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, labeled as an "illegal alien." According to ICE, Arias abandoned his son during the encounter, prompting agents to keep the child safe in freezing conditions. Critics, however, question the necessity of detaining a young child.

Columbia Heights Public Schools superintendent, Zena Stenvik, expressed disbelief: "Why detain a five-year-old?" The school provided photos showing Liam, identifiable by his bunny-shaped winter hat, in ICE custody.

Despite ICE’s denial, stating they tried to leave Liam with family, confusion persists. Lawyer Marc Prokosch, representing the family, said Liam and his father sought asylum from Ecuador and were following protocols.

Reports reveal Liam had just returned from pre-school when approached by agents. Attempts by another resident and a school board member to take Liam inside were refused. The family's ordeal is now unfolding at a detention center in San Antonio, Texas.

Vice-President JD Vance defended ICE's actions amidst mounting protests. "What are they supposed to do? Let a child freeze?" Vance argued, insisting ICE has no choice but to arrest those violating laws, regardless of children present.

The operation, dubbed "Operation Metro Surge," seeks to target criminal offenders, but local leaders highlight trauma inflicted on communities. Stenvik mentioned recent detentions of other students, intensifying community fears.

The DHS insists their operations are lawful and focus on significant threats. Yet, protests continue after a federal officer fatally shot Renee Good, claiming self-defense. The incident has sparked further condemnation.

Meanwhile, political tensions rise as seven Democrats joined Republicans to pass a $1.2 trillion funding bill for government agencies, including ICE. The funding remains contentious, highlighting divisions over immigration enforcement priorities.

Key Takeaways

• ICE's detention of a child sparks community outrage and highlights immigration policy conflicts.

• Tensions mount with recent enforcement actions and political divisions over funding.

• Protests continue as communities call for changes in ICE operations and priorities.

  

Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 026-01-22

 

 

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The mendacity is the point.

This latest reported incident is more than just a shocking headline. It is a distressing case study of what happens when immigration enforcement is stripped of nuance, compassion, and proportionality.

The official ICE statement and the community's outcry present two irreconcilable narratives: one of a protocol-driven safety measure; and, another of an unnecessarily traumatic act against a child.

For me, this dichotomy lies at the heart of the problem. When policy frameworks, like those emphasized under the Trump administration, explicitly minimize discretion and operate on a blanket categorization of "illegal alien," human tragedies like Liam become collateral damage.

Trumpian-law, in its rigid application, makes no allowance for the circumstance of a terrified five-year-old!

While there is a legitimate conversation to be had about border security (and addressing individuals who pose a genuine criminal threat), simply combining those threats with the vast majority of undocumented people (who are often fleeing violence, oppression, and extreme poverty) is a profound moral and practical error.

As is so indicative of Trump, it reflects a philosophy that has chosen to view a complex human reality in monolithic, punitive terms.

The result is what we see here, an unspeakably ugly cloud over the US, where fear, division, and inflexibility override better instincts and compassion.

What Trump and his cronies have achieved in just one year is to make a nation built by immigrants lose its ability to distinguish between a threat and a vulnerable person seeking a better life.

The result of an irresponsible father, and a fine example of passing down the art of being a criminal ... nuff said

... "Vice-President JD Vance defended ICE's actions amidst mounting protests. "What are they supposed to do? Let a child freeze?" Vance argued, insisting ICE has no choice but to arrest those violating laws, regardless of children present." ...

2 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

The result of an irresponsible father, and a fine example of passing down the art of being a criminal ... nuff said

... "Vice-President JD Vance defended ICE's actions amidst mounting protests. "What are they supposed to do? Let a child freeze?" Vance argued, insisting ICE has no choice but to arrest those violating laws, regardless of children present." ...

They would of been in serious trouble if they let her go with the protesters who were recording the arrest of the father.

The bigger picture here is not the 5 year old or the criminal foreign national , or ICE agents,its the media who distorts & sensationalizes the truth.

2 hours ago, ASEAN NOW News said:

Arias abandoned his son

I guess when arresting and sending a father to prison the father is always abandoning his son, not being forcibly separated. The kids was probably begging to be sent to El Salvador.

This is (at least) the second time ICE has refused care. In this case, school authorities were not allowed to take charge. In Renee Good's case, a doctor was not allowed to provide medical attention.

Everybody bleats about the law, the law, the law. The law must be enforced with compassion, opportunity for redress, proper habeas corpus, court appearances before immigration judges, and, as an OP has stated, proportionality.

Do these racist thugs go home at night, tuck their kids in bed after what they've done all day?

4 hours ago, riclag said:

They would of been in serious trouble if they let her go with the protesters who were recording the arrest of the father.

The bigger picture here is not the 5 year old or the criminal foreign national , or ICE agents,its the media who distorts & sensationalizes the truth.

When have you seen or heard the lefts go to media ask ,where are the police ,where is the crowd control? Media LIES "ICE detained a 5 yr old".

What would the lefty criminal protectors prefer?

Leave the kid alone in the freezing weather?

They'd have been up in arms about that as well.

The child was taken good care of. The right thing to do.

If I was in Thailand with a 5 year old son and I'd either come illegally or overstayed my visa - then what do you expect would happen
Absolutely nothing different than happened in the US. God only know what would happen here if the father was thrown into Immigration Detention Prison and the son is on overstay (or illegally entered) as well.

7 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

This is (at least) the second time ICE has refused care. In this case, school authorities were not allowed to take charge. In Renee Good's case, a doctor was not allowed to provide medical attention.

Everybody bleats about the law, the law, the law. The law must be enforced with compassion, opportunity for redress, proper habeas corpus, court appearances before immigration judges, and, as an OP has stated, proportionality.

Do these racist thugs go home at night, tuck their kids in bed after what they've done all day?

I think many of them go back to the chain hotels in which they are barracked, and try to get some sleep despite the racket being kept up outside by protectors.

Awful for them - my heart pumps purple piss!

6 hours ago, connda said:

If I was in Thailand with a 5 year old son and I'd either come illegally or overstayed my visa - then what do you expect would happen
Absolutely nothing different than happened in the US. God only know what would happen here if the father was thrown into Immigration Detention Prison and the son is on overstay (or illegally entered) as well.

Makes you wonder why there are no gangs of Thais outside the Bangkok immigration detention centre, fighting the Thai authorities to demand the release of all the overstaying illegal farang criminals.

Oh that's right. Thais aren't as stupid as white liberal leftist morons.

Which is one of many reasons why I love Thailand.

20 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Makes you wonder why there are no gangs of Thais outside the Bangkok immigration detention centre, fighting the Thai authorities to demand the release of all the overstaying illegal farang criminals.

Oh that's right. Thais aren't as stupid as white liberal leftist morons.

Which is one of many reasons why I love Thailand.

The Thais aren't sending untrained armed masked goons to terrorise citizens and shoot them in the face. Therefore no protests needed.

I worry about you these days, you are getting more and more ridiculous and outlandish.

15 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The mendacity is the point.

In this case, the irony is the point.

Mendacity indeed🤣

6 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

The Thais aren't sending untrained armed masked goons to terrorise citizens and shoot them in the face. Therefore no protests needed.

I worry about you these days, you are getting more and more ridiculous and outlandish.

What do you think would happen if you tried to run over an armed Thai agent in your SUV?

You lib Karens think you can do whatever you want. The shock of reality must be tough.

Gestapo tactics?

3 hours ago, JonnyF said:

What do you think would happen if you tried to run over an armed Thai agent in your SUV?

You lib Karens think you can do whatever you want. The shock of reality must be tough.

If I drove slowly away from one they wouldn't shoot me three times in the face. Thai police are very loathe to draw their weapons. They are not gung ho call of duty wannabes.

And as I said Thailand does not send untrained masked goons out to terrorise people so there is no need to protest.

On 1/23/2026 at 9:46 AM, Purdey said:

I guess when arresting and sending a father to prison the father is always abandoning his son, not being forcibly separated. The kids was probably begging to be sent to El Salvador.

Reports are, that when the father saw ICE, he took off running, abandoning his child behind.

Try using some common sense people.

9 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

The Thais aren't sending untrained armed masked goons to terrorise citizens and shoot them in the face. Therefore no protests needed.

I worry about you these days, you are getting more and more ridiculous and outlandish.

Nobody interfering and protesting Thai Imm arresting & deporting illegal aliens.

Soros not paying organization to protest & disrupt legal arrests in TH as in USA.

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Reports are, that when the father saw ICE, he took off running, abandoning his child behind.

"Reports are saying". Hilarious.

JD Vance is saying. So it must be true right? The man has a flawless history of always speaking the truth.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/23/witnesses-say-they-begged-ice-agents-not-to-detain-minnesota-5yearold-after-fathers-arrest

2 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Gestapo tactics?

This reminds me of how resistance movements in the USA are supported in part by communist front groups, similar to the popular front strategies of the 1920s and 1930s. Nobody does propaganda better than the front groups & the activists pretending to be journalist in the USA.

Google ai overview

"Based on recent reports, there is a recognized effort by communist groups in the United States to participate in and influence current political movements, a strategy that echoes the "popular front" approaches of the 1930s".

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

Nobody interfering and protesting Thai Imm arresting & deporting illegal aliens.

Soros not paying organization to protest & disrupt legal arrests in TH as in USA.

Ok, and you have evidence for this ridiculous claim that Soros is paying the protestors, right? You just forgot to include it, obviously.

Are you sure Bill Gates doesn't have something to do with it too??

2 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

"Reports are saying". Hilarious.

JD Vance is saying. So it must be true right? The man has a flawless history of always speaking the truth.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/23/witnesses-say-they-begged-ice-agents-not-to-detain-minnesota-5yearold-after-fathers-arrest

So you expect ICE or any govt officials, to leave a child, with strangers. If the mother was available, that would be different, or any adult blood family member.

But ... "Neighbors and Columbia Heights school officials" .... NO, never going to happen, as they'd be sued if anything happened.

You're being silly, as usually. They really had no choice than to take care of him. He was of course, reunited with his father and currently awaiting legal processing.

from AI ...

3 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Gestapo tactics?

Gestapo with half of its members being black and latino ?

Ya makes total sense.

29 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Ok, and you have evidence for this ridiculous claim that Soros is paying the protestors, right? You just forgot to include it, obviously.

Are you sure Bill Gates doesn't have something to do with it too??

Didn't think I need to include info that was common knowledge, though I do take many things, intelligence of posters, for granted ... sometimes. Oops

The truth is just a few keyboard strokes away ...

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

If I drove slowly away from one they wouldn't shoot me three times in the face. Thai police are very loathe to draw their weapons. They are not gung ho call of duty wannabes.

And as I said Thailand does not send untrained masked goons out to terrorise people so there is no need to protest.

There's that selective memory kicking in ... again

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

There's that selective memory kicking in ... again

23 years ago, under the orders of a law breaking megalomaniac lunatic. Sound familiar?

4 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

23 years ago, under the orders of a law breaking megalomaniac lunatic. Sound familiar?

NO ... any other silliness of yours you'd like me do debunk.

ICE has judicial & administrative warrants, and operating in plain site of news & law enforcement officials. With the support the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ...

Now that the "Dust" has settled, “ICE did NOT target a child. The child was ABANDONED,” the department tweeted in a statement. “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 [Joe] Biden administration. As agents approached the driver, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, fled on foot — abandoning his child.” The department’s statement continued, “For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias. 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.

38 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

NO ... any other silliness of yours you'd like me do debunk.

ICE has judicial & administrative warrants, and operating in plain site of news & law enforcement officials. With the support the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ...

Seeing how international outlets and leftists are pushing outrage over this without the full facts (father abandoning the kid in the cold), it makes me think international leftists either have no clue or support the Communist efforts. I think the latter.