ICE Detention of Minors Shatters School District's Sense of Security in Columbia Heights
The recent detention of four students, including a 5-year-old boy and his father, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers has left the school district in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, feeling shaken and heartbroken. The incident has raised concerns about the safety and security of schools, particularly those with immigrant families.
According to school officials, two children were taken from their homes earlier this week, including a 17-year-old boy who was on his way to school when he was removed by ICE officers. In another incident, a 5-year-old boy named Liam Ramos was taken with his father while just arriving home from preschool in the afternoon. The child's father claimed that he had fled federal agents as they approached their vehicle, leaving the child behind.
The Department of Homeland Security has since clarified that Liam was not targeted by ICE but was "abandoned" by his father. However, the school district and Liam's attorney dispute this account, stating that the family entered the US legally from Ecuador and that Liam's father does not have a criminal record.
This incident is not an isolated case; two weeks ago, another 10-year-old student in fourth grade was taken by ICE agents on her way to elementary school with her mother. The child called her father on the phone as ICE agents approached, and her father later arrived at the school to find that both his daughter and wife had been taken.
The school district is now seeking public support to advocate for an immediate and peaceful resolution to this situation. Superintendent Zena Stenvik stated, "We are asking you to please reach out to your congressional representative to ask for an immediate and peaceful resolution to this occupation... Please help us and other schools to again be a safe place where all belong and all succeed."
The incident has raised concerns about ICE's presence in schools and the impact it has on families and communities. The school district is working with an immigration lawyer to explore options for getting the students back to Minnesota, but the situation remains uncertain.
As the community comes together to support the affected families, questions remain about how such incidents can be prevented and what measures can be taken to ensure that schools remain safe havens for all students, regardless of their immigration status.
The recent detention of four students, including a 5-year-old boy and his father, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers has left the school district in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, feeling shaken and heartbroken. The incident has raised concerns about the safety and security of schools, particularly those with immigrant families.
According to school officials, two children were taken from their homes earlier this week, including a 17-year-old boy who was on his way to school when he was removed by ICE officers. In another incident, a 5-year-old boy named Liam Ramos was taken with his father while just arriving home from preschool in the afternoon. The child's father claimed that he had fled federal agents as they approached their vehicle, leaving the child behind.
The Department of Homeland Security has since clarified that Liam was not targeted by ICE but was "abandoned" by his father. However, the school district and Liam's attorney dispute this account, stating that the family entered the US legally from Ecuador and that Liam's father does not have a criminal record.
This incident is not an isolated case; two weeks ago, another 10-year-old student in fourth grade was taken by ICE agents on her way to elementary school with her mother. The child called her father on the phone as ICE agents approached, and her father later arrived at the school to find that both his daughter and wife had been taken.
The school district is now seeking public support to advocate for an immediate and peaceful resolution to this situation. Superintendent Zena Stenvik stated, "We are asking you to please reach out to your congressional representative to ask for an immediate and peaceful resolution to this occupation... Please help us and other schools to again be a safe place where all belong and all succeed."
The incident has raised concerns about ICE's presence in schools and the impact it has on families and communities. The school district is working with an immigration lawyer to explore options for getting the students back to Minnesota, but the situation remains uncertain.
As the community comes together to support the affected families, questions remain about how such incidents can be prevented and what measures can be taken to ensure that schools remain safe havens for all students, regardless of their immigration status.
I'm literally heartbroken reading this 
. No parent should ever have to go through that trauma and stress on a daily basis. The fact that the school district is being asked to take on all this emotional weight is overwhelming 
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. We can make a difference by spreading awareness about the impact of ICE's actions and advocating for humane treatment of migrant families 
. Schools should be safe spaces for all students, regardless of their background or immigration status 
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. The fact that two separate incidents have happened in just a couple of weeks is unacceptable 
. We can't keep letting this happen without speaking out 
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what can we do as a community to make sure no more kids get affected by this kind of thing? maybe schools could have some kind of resource or support system in place for families with immigration issues but at the same time i think it's also important to hold ice accountable for their actions and make sure they are following the law 
we need to come together as a community to support these families and advocate for change 
. schools are supposed to be safe spaces for kids to learn and grow, not a place where they can be torn apart from their families due to paperwork errors or miscommunications. it's heartbreaking to think about those 4 students (including that poor 5-year-old) being taken away without warning or explanation. 
what kind of system lets this happen?
this is getting outta hand ICE detaining kids in schools is just wrong I mean who gets taken away from school on their first day or at preschool? it's so scary for those little ones and their parents 
. I mean, can you even imagine being a parent and watching your kid get taken away by agents? It's like, what's next? Is our school going to start with ICE on campus every day? 
. I'm so frustrated with how ICE is handling this situation - it's like they're not even considering the impact on families and communities.
It doesn't make sense. Our schools should be safe havens for all students, regardless of their immigration status. We shouldn't have to worry about being 'detained' just because our kid is a US citizen 
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. I hope others will do the same too 
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the fact that a 5-year-old boy was separated from his dad during the detention is heartbreaking 
We can't just sit back and do nothing, you know? The superintendent is right, we should be reaching out to our reps and asking for help. This isn't just an issue for the kids being detained, it's about how it affects the whole school community 
... what's the point of having an education system if we can't even ensure safety for our young ones? schools should be a sanctuary, not a place of fear and uncertainty 
. Schools should be safe spaces for everyone, not places where you have to live in fear of getting caught up in immigration drama. 
I'm seriously worried about what other families are going through because of this stuff... can't we just have some peace of mind for our kids' education?! 