School Official Contradicts ICE Account of 5-Year-Old's Apprehension in Minnesota
The chair of a Minnesota school board has provided a starkly different account of the apprehension of a five-year-old boy by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, directly contradicting statements made by Trump administration officials. Mary Granlund, chair of the board of Columbia Heights Public Schools, described a chaotic scene where community members pleaded with agents not to take the child, insisting that responsible adults were present to care for him.
Chaotic Scene at School Contradicts Official Narrative
Mary Granlund recounted hearing commotion while on her way to collect her own children from school. "As I got out of my car and came around the corner, I heard, 'What are you doing? Don't take the child... There are people here that can take him,'" Granlund told reporters on Thursday. "There was another adult who lived in the home that was there saying, 'I will take the child.'"
Granlund stated that when onlookers recognised her as a school official, they informed ICE agents that the boy could have been placed in the care of school authorities. "There was ample opportunity to be able to safely hand that child off to adults," she emphasised, directly challenging the justification provided by Trump officials.
Trump Officials Claim Apprehension Was Preventative Measure
Vice President JD Vance offered a contrasting explanation during remarks in Minnesota, claiming the boy was taken to ensure he did not "freeze to death." Vance asserted that the child, identified as Liam Ramos, was not arrested but was apprehended as part of an operation targeting his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, whom he described as an "illegal alien."
"So the story is that ICE detained a five-year-old? Well, what are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to let a five-year-old child freeze to death? Are they not supposed to arrest an illegal alien in the United States of America?" Vance questioned during his public address.
Community Safety 'Shaken' by Recent ICE Activity
Granlund expressed deep concern about the impact of recent ICE operations on the Columbia Heights community, revealing that at least four students from the district, including Ramos, have been taken by agents in recent weeks. "The sense of safety in our community and around our schools is shaken, and our hearts are shattered," she stated. "Honestly, at the end of the day, children should be in school with their classmates, and we want to focus on the purpose of educating our children."
The school board chair added a poignant observation about the power imbalance during the incident: "We are seeking a peaceful resolution, and we need your help, because at the end of the day, we have whistles and they have guns."
Family's Legal Status and Current Whereabouts
Granlund contradicted characterisations of the family's immigration status, stating: "The young boy, Liam and his father... have the documentation. I saw it with my own eyes when I visited the home." According to school officials, both the child and his father have been transferred to a detention facility in San Antonio, Texas, located over 1,200 miles from their Minnesota community.
The family's lawyer, Marc Prokosch, clarified their immigration situation: "They are not U.S. citizens but have been following the legal process perfectly, from presenting themselves at the border to applying for asylum and waiting for the process to go through."
Broader Impact on School Community
Granlund described the profound psychological toll these incidents are taking on the community: "The onslaught of ICE activity in our community is inducing trauma and is taking a toll on our children, taking a toll on our families, our staff, our community members. This surge has changed nearly everything about our daily lives."
The conflicting accounts between school officials and Trump administration representatives highlight the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement practices near educational institutions and their impact on vulnerable young children within immigrant communities.
