Another intense ICE controversy has struck the United States, with allegations that agents detained a five-year-old boy and used him as ‘bait’ to apprehend his relatives. The Columbia Heights Public School district reported that federal agents have detained four students in separate immigration raids over the past two weeks, sparking further criticism of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities following a recent fatal shooting by an agent. Superintendent Zena Stenvik questioned the necessity of detaining a young child, emphasizing that the boy posed no threat.

The incident involved Liam Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old student, who was stopped by masked agents upon returning home from school. The agents allegedly used Liam to lure other family members out of their residence, which raised concerns about the treatment of minors in such situations. Both Liam and his father were then taken to Texas by the agents, according to reports.

The family of Liam, who has an active asylum case with no deportation orders, received support from the school after the incident. Meanwhile, a lawyer representing the family indicated that they might be held in a family detention setting in Texas. Additionally, three more students under 18 were also detained in recent weeks, including a fourth-grade student who was taken along with her mother while heading to school.

The district expressed distress over the ICE actions, with one student being detained on the way to school and another student forcefully apprehended at home. The heightened ICE presence has instilled fear in the community, leading to a significant number of students staying home out of concern for further raids. District officials emphasized the emotional impact on children witnessing such events and called for a reevaluation of the current immigration enforcement practices.