 (6).png)
7 hours ago
1
ARTICLE AD BOX
Two recent incidents in Minneapolis involving federal immigration agents have sparked outrage, as children aged 2 and 5 were taken into custody alongside their fathers during targeted enforcement operations.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is facing intense scrutiny following two separate incidents in Minneapolis where young children were taken into federal custody during immigration enforcement operations, sparking outrage, protests, and calls for accountability.
2-year-old toddler taken from home
On Thursday (January 22), 2-year-old C.R.T.V. was taken into ICE custody alongside her father, Elvis Tipan-Echeverria, after federal agents approached their vehicle in Minneapolis. The child and father were initially held at the Whipple Federal Building, a site that has recently been a flashpoint for protests following the death of Minneapolis resident Renee Good during a federal operation.
According to family attorney Kira Kelley, the toddler was flown to Texas despite a court order requiring her immediate release, before being returned to her mother on Friday.
The family alleges that ICE agents entered the backyard and driveway without a warrant, broke a window of the family vehicle while the child was inside, and refused to allow the father to hand the toddler to her mother. The affidavit also noted that the ICE vehicle used did not have a car seat.
Protesters surrounded the federal agents during the incident, leading DHS to deploy crowd-control measures, claiming that some in the crowd threw rocks and garbage cans.
5-year-old detained amid federal crackdown
Earlier in the week, 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was taken from his home’s driveway while federal agents detained his father. Both were flown to a family detention facility in Texas, where they remain. Pastor Sergio Amezcua, assisting the family, said Liam’s mother was “terrified” of federal agents, disputing DHS claims that parents refused custody of the children.
Growing public outcry
These incidents have intensified criticism of ICE operations in Minneapolis, particularly following the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during federal enforcement operations recently. Lawyers and community advocates have questioned the use of force, removal of minors, and tactics that appear to violate court orders.
Kelley said: “Needless to say, neither child has a criminal history. This federal enforcement has caused unnecessary trauma to families and is unacceptable.”
DHS defended its actions, stating that Tipan-Echeverria had driven “erratically with a child in the vehicle” and that federal agents acted to ensure the child’s safety.
Legal challenges underway
A federal court has barred ICE from removing Tipan-Echeverria from Minnesota while court proceedings continue. The incidents highlight the growing tension between federal immigration authorities and local communities in Minneapolis, where widespread protests continue against what residents and advocacy groups call heavy-handed enforcement tactics.
Renee Good and Alex Pretti killing incidents
Both incidents in Minneapolis — the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent and the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent during federal immigration enforcement operations — have sparked widespread outrage, protests and demands for accountability over the use of force by federal law‑enforcement personnel.
Renee Nicole Good, a 37‑year‑old mother of three, was fatally shot by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis earlier this month during a federal immigration enforcement operation. She died of multiple gunshot wounds from the agent’s weapon, and her death sparked protests and outrage over the federal crackdown.
Less than three weeks later, 37‑year‑old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an ICU nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital and protest participant, was shot dead by a US Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis amid a scuffle on an icy road. Federal officials said Pretti posed a threat and had a firearm. His killing calls for accountability, with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz demanding state investigations into the use of force by federal agents.
English (US) ·