Recently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested five-year-old Liam Ramos in front of his house in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. The tragic incident blindsided a close-knit community. This left Liam and his father vulnerable when they were surrounded by plain-clothed ICE agents while playing in their driveway. This dangerous incident has caused considerable fear for area teachers. Our community members are equally concerned about the impact of such actions on our most impressionable youth — our toddler age children.
On their day of detention, an ICE agent took Liam out of another car. Wearing his signature blue knit cap, the two strolled hand-in-hand to his front door. The agent further advised him to bang on the door to see if there were other occupants. This encounter really illustrated the seriousness of the situation to this young child. In addition to Liam, his father was arrested, leaving a trail of heartache and confusion in their wake.
The family’s ordeal did not end there. By the end of that school day, Liam’s mother and sister were packed into an ICE convoy and soon to be in a detention center in Texas. An adult in the household had been vocally pleading with law enforcement to intervene on Liam’s behalf. Sadly, they rejected this reasonable request. The emotional cost to the family quickly increased when Liam’s older brother returned home twenty minutes later. It was there that he learned, almost immediately, that his father and brother were gone.
That said, Superintendent Zena Stenvik said she was deeply disturbed to learn these detentions were going on inside her schools. She immediately went to the Ramos home, both as a counselor and as community support. She remembered Liam as a “shining young scholar.” Later she shared her deep concern over the trauma that children in her community are being subjected to as a result of actions like this.
“Our children are traumatized. The sense of safety in our community and around our schools is shaken,” – Zena Stenvik.
This case sheds light on a larger pattern of such detentions across the school district during the Trump administration’s enforcement surge. Liam was just one of four students who were directly harmed by these actions. Stenvik emphasized the unique role schools play during these trying times, stating, “Our role is to educate children during the school day. Now we’re trying to help people navigate this legal system.”
Marc Prokosch, an educator in the coalition and district, supported Stenvik’s words about the emotional impact on students. He highlighted that these families are not criminals but individuals seeking asylum after arriving legally at a port of entry.
“They did not come here illegally. They are not criminals,” – Marc Prokosch.
Prokosch further stressed the possible psychological effect on Liam’s classmates. He was particularly worried about how they would respond when they find out about his detention.
“Once his classmates learn the government took him away … I’m not qualified to talk about how much damage that is going to cause,” – Marc Prokosch.
The community has continued to stand behind the Ramos family, calling for a rollback of the dangerous policies that even permit such detentions. Stenvik wanted to know what was the justification of detaining a child as young as Liam.
“Why detain a five-year-old? You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal,” – Zena Stenvik.
As discussions continue surrounding immigration enforcement and its implications for families, the emotional landscape in Columbia Heights remains fraught with uncertainty. Local leaders and educators understand the importance of taking steps to protect kids. They’ve remained focused on how to make these young people thrive against the backdrop of all the difficulty and uncertainty.