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US: ICE Arrested Four Children, Including a 5-Year-Old

Published January 22, 2026, 17:13
US: ICE Arrested Four Children, Including a 5-Year-Old

US immigration authorities (ICE) have arrested at least four children, including a 5-year-old, in Minneapolis this month, raising growing concerns about the agency's tactics in the context of President Trump's tightening immigration policy. The director of the Columbia Heights school district, Zina Stenvik, expressed her astonishment at the arrest of such a young child, questioning whether he could be considered a 'violent criminal'. ICE denies targeting the child, claiming the incident occurred during an operation to arrest Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who attempted to flee leaving the child behind. An ICE officer remained with the child until his father was arrested. The agency states that it offers parents who are arrested the option of being deported with their children or assigning them to someone they choose. In addition to the 5-year-old, a 17-year-old student was arrested by armed and masked agents while on his way to school, without his parents being present. Also, a 10-year-old was arrested while going to elementary school and remains in a detention center in Texas with her mother, while a 17-year-old was arrested with her mother inside their home. These arrests have sparked strong reactions and questions about the ethics and legality of ICE's tactics. Trump's tightening of immigration policy has led to an increase in arrests and deportations, but also to growing concerns about the impact on families and children.