The Columbia Heights Public Schools district in Minnesota is facing a growing crisis as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions of students and their families escalate. What began as a single case earlier this month has rapidly expanded, with at least 23 parents now reportedly detained, according to Superintendent Zena Stenvik.
The situation came to light again on , when Columbia Academy received a call regarding the detention of a middle school student’s parent. School officials are now actively assisting families in finding legal representation, a sign of the deepening impact of ICE’s actions on the community.
The most alarming case involves five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, a pre-kindergartener at Valley View Elementary. Liam and his father were detained by ICE agents on as they returned home from school. According to Marc Prokosch, a lawyer representing the family, both are now in ICE custody, likely at a family detention center in Texas. The detention occurred while Liam’s middle-school-aged brother was at home, returning to find his father and younger brother missing, and his mother in distress.
Superintendent Stenvik publicly addressed the situation at an emotional news conference on , describing the manner of Liam’s arrest as particularly disturbing. She stated that an ICE agent instructed the five-year-old to knock on his own door to see if anyone else was home, effectively using him to ascertain if other family members were present. “Instead, the agent took the child out of the still-running car, led him to the door, and directed him to knock on the door, asking to be let in, in order to see if anyone else was home, essentially using a 5-year-old as bait,” she said.
The Columbia Heights district, located just north of Minneapolis, serves a student population that is more than 50 percent Latino. The recent surge in ICE detentions represents a significant disruption to these families and the wider school community. Stenvik emphasized that the family in Liam’s case is actively pursuing asylum and has no existing deportation order. “This family is following U.S. Legal parameters and has an active asylum case with no order of deportation,” she stated. “Why detain a 5-year-old? You can’t tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal.”
This isn’t an isolated incident. Liam’s detention marks the fourth ICE arrest of a student’s family within the Columbia Heights district this month. The scale of the detentions has prompted a strong response from school leaders, who are grappling with the emotional and logistical challenges of supporting students and families impacted by ICE’s enforcement activities.
On , Attorney Marc Prokosch, alongside Columbia Academy Principal Leslee Sherk and Superintendent Stenvik, addressed the growing concerns. The district has been providing resources and support to affected families, but the situation highlights a broader tension between local communities and federal immigration enforcement.
Columbia Academy, serving grades six through eight, remains open, but the atmosphere is undoubtedly affected by the ongoing crisis. The school’s website notes that is a district-wide closure. The district has also announced an E-Learning day for and highlighted Paraprofessional Recognition Week.
The detentions in Columbia Heights occur against a backdrop of increased scrutiny of ICE’s tactics and their impact on communities. While ICE has not publicly commented on the specific cases, the agency generally maintains that its enforcement actions are targeted at individuals who pose a threat to public safety or who have violated immigration laws. However, the detention of parents and young children, particularly those with pending asylum claims, raises serious questions about the proportionality and human cost of these actions.
The situation in Columbia Heights is likely to fuel the ongoing debate over immigration policy and the role of ICE in local communities. The district’s response, which includes providing legal assistance and advocating for affected families, reflects a growing trend of local resistance to federal immigration enforcement. The case of Liam Conejo Ramos, in particular, has drawn attention to the vulnerability of young children caught in the crosshairs of immigration enforcement, and the ethical implications of detaining individuals who are actively seeking legal pathways to remain in the United States.
As of , the status of the 23 detained parents remains unclear, and the long-term impact on the students and families of Columbia Heights is yet to be seen. The district continues to navigate the crisis, balancing its commitment to providing a safe and supportive learning environment with the challenges posed by ongoing ICE enforcement activities.
