Feds Dispute MN School Officials’ Account Of 5-Year-Old ICE Detention, Do Not Say Where Child Is

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, MN — Federal officials on Thursday disputed local school leaders’ account of how a 5-year-old Columbia Heights student was detained by ICE agents this week.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE agents were conducting a targeted operation on Jan. 20 to arrest Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, whom DHS described as "an illegal alien from Ecuador who was RELEASED into the U.S. by the Biden administration."

According to DHS, agents approached the vehicle, and the adult fled on foot, "abandoning his child."

DHS said one ICE officer remained with the child "for the child’s safety" while other agents apprehended the adult.

The agency said parents are asked whether they want to be removed with their children or to designate a safe caregiver, adding that the practice is consistent with immigration enforcement under past administrations.

Read the full statement below:

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.

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.

DHS did not state whether the child was formally detained or whether another adult was allowed to take custody at the scene.

School officials and the family's lawyer, however, have offered a markedly different account of what occurred.

Superintendent Zena Stenvik said masked ICE agents apprehended 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos in his driveway as he returned home from school with his father.

Stenvik said agents removed the child from a still-running vehicle and used him to attempt to draw other family members from the home.

"The agent took the child out of the still-running car, led him to the door and directed him to knock on the door asking to be let in in order to see if anyone else was home, essentially using a 5-year-old as bait," Stenvik said.

Stenvik also said another adult at the home begged agents to allow him to care for the child and was refused.

Stenvik said the family has an active asylum case and no deportation orders.

Marc Prokosch, an attorney representing the family, told MPR News he believes the father and child are being held in a family detention facility in Texas and said the family has complied with all legal requirements while pursuing asylum.

School officials said three other Columbia Heights students have been detained by ICE in recent weeks. District leaders have warned the incidents are contributing to fear and trauma in the school community.

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