Father Leaves 5-Year-Old in Cold While Attempting to Flee ICE Agents According to DHS
Minneapolis, Minnesota — January 22, 2026 — A controversial Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights has ignited national outrage after federal officials claimed a father fled on foot, leaving his 5-year-old son behind in freezing temperatures during an arrest attempt. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the incident as the father “abandoning” the child for safety reasons, while local officials and the family’s lawyer accused agents of using the preschooler as “bait.”
The child, identified as Liam Conejo Ramos, was returning home from preschool with his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, on Tuesday when ICE agents approached their vehicle in the driveway. According to DHS statements, agents were targeting the father for immigration violations. As officers moved in, the father allegedly fled, prompting agents to detain the boy temporarily to protect him from the cold.
Columbia Heights Public Schools Superintendent contradicted this narrative, stating officers instructed the boy to knock on the home’s door—”essentially using a five-year-old as bait” to lure out other family members. The family’s lawyer emphasized that they entered the U.S. lawfully to seek asylum and called the detention traumatic.
Both father and son were ultimately taken into custody and transferred to a facility in Texas.
Vice President JD Vance Weighs In
During a visit to Minneapolis today amid escalating tensions, Vice President JD Vance defended the agents’ actions. “The child wasn’t arrested,” Vance told reporters. “Officers were targeting the father, and when he fled—potentially leaving his son to freeze—they stepped in to keep the boy safe.” Vance blamed local “sanctuary” policies for necessitating federal intervention and downplayed suggestions of excessive force.
Broader Backdrop of Protests and Prior Incident
The detention comes amid intensified ICE sweeps in Minnesota, a state that has emerged as a flashpoint for the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement. Protests have swelled in recent weeks, particularly following the January 7 shooting death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old American citizen killed by an ICE agent during a separate operation in Minneapolis. An independent autopsy confirmed Good was shot in the head, fueling demands for accountability and reform.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!