Minneapolis Immigration Enforcement Sparks Outrage Over Child Detentions and Fatal Shootings
Recent incidents involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis have ignited widespread outrage, with protests erupting over the detention of young children and two fatal shootings during enforcement operations. The controversy centers on actions by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that have drawn sharp criticism from community advocates and legal experts.
Young Children Taken Into Federal Custody
Two separate incidents in Minneapolis have brought intense scrutiny to ICE operations, as children aged 2 and 5 were taken into federal custody alongside their fathers during targeted enforcement actions. These events have sparked significant public outcry and raised serious questions about enforcement protocols.
In the first incident on January 22, 2026, a 2-year-old toddler identified as C.R.T.V. was taken into ICE custody alongside her father, Elvis Tipan-Echeverria, after federal agents approached their vehicle in Minneapolis. According to family attorney Kira Kelley, the child was initially held at the Whipple Federal Building before being flown to Texas despite a court order requiring her immediate release. She was eventually returned to her mother the following day.
The family has alleged that ICE agents entered their 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, raising safety concerns.
Elementary School Student Detained During Operation
Earlier in the same 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 according to reports. A photograph obtained from Columbia Heights Public Schools shows an ICE agent holding onto the backpack of the kindergarten student during the detention on January 20, 2026.
Pastor Sergio Amezcua, who is assisting the family, stated that Liam's mother was "terrified" of federal agents, directly disputing Department of Homeland Security claims that parents refused custody of the children. This incident has particularly alarmed educators and child welfare advocates given the young age of those detained.
Fatal Shootings Intensify Community Tensions
The child detention incidents have occurred against a backdrop of growing tension following two fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis. Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was fatally shot by an ICE agent earlier this month during a federal immigration enforcement operation. She died of multiple gunshot wounds, and her death sparked immediate protests and outrage.
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 claimed Pretti posed a threat and had a firearm, but his killing has prompted demands for accountability, with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz calling for state investigations into the use of force by federal agents.
Legal Challenges and Official Responses
A federal court has now barred ICE from removing Tipan-Echeverria from Minnesota while court proceedings continue. Lawyers and community advocates have questioned the use of force, removal of minors, and tactics that appear to violate court orders in these operations.
Kira Kelley emphasized the impact of these actions, stating: "Needless to say, neither child has a criminal history. This federal enforcement has caused unnecessary trauma to families and is unacceptable."
The Department of Homeland Security has 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. However, this justification has done little to quell the growing public anger.
Protests and Community Backlash
Protesters surrounded federal agents during the January 22 incident, leading DHS to deploy crowd-control measures. The department claimed that some in the crowd threw rocks and garbage cans, but community members maintain they were peacefully demonstrating against what they perceive as heavy-handed enforcement tactics.
These incidents highlight the growing tension between federal immigration authorities and local communities in Minneapolis, where widespread protests continue against enforcement methods that residents and advocacy groups consider excessive and traumatizing. The combination of child detentions and fatal shootings has created a perfect storm of public outrage that shows no signs of abating.
As legal challenges proceed and investigations continue, the Minneapolis community remains deeply divided over federal immigration enforcement practices, with calls for greater accountability and reform growing louder each day.
