Lead: Two brothers who attend the same Columbia Heights, Minnesota, elementary school as five-year-old Liam Ramos were taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, school officials said. The boys, in second and fifth grades, were detained alongside their mother, who has a pending asylum case, and the family was later transported to the family immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas. The incident added to local outrage over the continuing detention of young children from the district, including Liam, who is held at the same Texas facility and was reported to be depressed. School leaders described a traumatic scene at the Whipple federal building where staff accompanied the children into custody after the mother phoned from a court appearance.
Key Takeaways
- On Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, ICE detained two brothers (second and fifth grade) from Columbia Heights with their mother; the family was later moved to Dilley, Texas.
- The boys attend Valley View Elementary (second- and fifth-grade) and were escorted into the Whipple federal building by trusted school staff after their mother called from custody.
- There are now five students enrolled in the Columbia Heights district known to be detained at Dilley, according to Superintendent Zena Stenvik.
- Liam Ramos, a five-year-old preschooler from the same school, and his father remain in the same Texas facility; Liam was reported this week to be in a depressed state.
- School officials say agents refused requests to release the children with school staff despite having the family’s immigration paperwork on hand.
- Minnesota lawyers have been contesting rapid out‑of‑state transfers that they say hinder access to counsel and court jurisdiction.
- A recent separate case involved a detained two‑year‑old who was swiftly moved to Texas and later returned to Minnesota after a federal judge’s order.
Background
Columbia Heights, a Minneapolis suburb with a diverse immigrant population, has become a focal point in debates over ICE enforcement practices after a string of local detentions. Community leaders and school officials in the district emphasize schools as safe spaces for children and have repeatedly objected to enforcement activity that intersects with school communities. The district’s superintendent, Zena Stenvik, and school principals have described the emotional and logistical strain when enforcement actions involve students or parents with active immigration proceedings.
Federal immigration policy and enforcement in the region have intensified since the prior administration, with local facilities such as the Whipple federal building used to hold people while processing or awaiting transfer. Advocates and defense attorneys say rapid transfers to distant facilities can undercut detainees’ ability to consult counsel and participate meaningfully in hearings. The growing number of children from the same school district being detained has amplified calls from local officials, elected representatives and advocates for policy changes and greater oversight.
Main Event
School officials say the two boys’ mother was first taken into custody at a court appointment on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. While in custody, she called school staff and asked that her sons be brought to the Whipple federal building because there was no other caretaker available. Faced with that plea, Superintendent Stenvik and Valley View Elementary Principal Jason Kuhlman coordinated for trusted school employees — including a school nurse and other principals — to accompany the boys into the federal facility to remain by their side.
According to school leaders, ICE agents denied requests to release the children into the custody of school staff, even though Kuhlman had the family’s immigration paperwork. The superintendent described staff and students as traumatized by the experience. School officials reported the older boy began to visibly upset upon entering the building, and staff members said the facility’s heavy security presence — officers, gear and formal procedures — alarmed the children.
After the encounter at Whipple, the family was transported to the family detention center in Dilley, Texas. The US Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday. Columbia Heights officials say the family remains unnamed publicly and that staff are providing support to classmates and school communities affected by the detentions.
Analysis & Implications
The detentions illustrate how enforcement practices intersect with education systems and child welfare, creating dilemmas for schools that are neither law‑enforcement agencies nor social‑service providers. When parents with pending asylum claims are detained during court appearances, school staff may face untenable choices: leave children without caretakers or accompany them into federal facilities. That dynamic places educators in roles they are not trained for and raises ethical and legal questions about the protections owed to children.
Rapid interstate transfers to detention centers such as Dilley can have procedural consequences. Lawyers in Minnesota argue that moving detained people out of state complicates access to local counsel and may hinder attendance at hearings in the district where cases originated. This logistical effect can extend case timelines and make it harder for families to gather evidence or coordinate representation, which immigration advocates say can materially affect outcomes.
The psychological impact on children is an immediate concern and may have longer-term consequences. Reports that Liam Ramos is “depressed” while detained with his father, and accounts of younger siblings’ distress during recent transports, underscore risks to children’s mental health and development. Local leaders warn of broader community effects: heightened fear can push families into social isolation, disrupt students’ attendance and learning, and strain school resources devoted to trauma-informed care.
Comparison & Data
| Category | Reported Count |
|---|---|
| Columbia Heights students detained at Dilley | 5 |
| Students detained in this incident (Brothers) | 2 |
| Liam Ramos (age) | 5 |
| Recent separate case: toddler detained, later returned | 1 (2‑year‑old) |
The table summarizes counts reported by district officials and public reporting. While the absolute numbers remain small relative to the district enrollment, the clustering of cases in a single community magnifies their local impact and the administrative burden on schools and legal aid groups.
Reactions & Quotes
“It was awful. It was heartbreaking for everybody. This isn’t something we are prepared or trained for.”
Zena Stenvik, Superintendent, Columbia Heights School District
“[The older boy] started to get upset and rightfully so. He’s a fifth‑grader, so I guarantee he knows what’s going on.”
Jason Kuhlman, Principal, Valley View Elementary
“I remain concerned about Liam’s mental state and the broader consequence of detaining children far from their communities.”
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D‑TX), congressional official
Unconfirmed
- Whether ICE targeted the family specifically or detained the mother as part of broader court operations has not been independently verified by DHS as of Friday.
- The full rationale for denying release of the children to school staff has not been publicly documented by ICE or DHS.
Bottom Line
This episode highlights tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local institutions entrusted with children’s safety. Even small numbers of detentions can produce outsized harm in tight‑knit school communities, straining resources and exacerbating trauma among students and staff.
Policy and legal remedies being pursued in Minnesota — including litigation over rapid transfers — will shape whether families have meaningful access to counsel and hearings. Meanwhile, school districts and advocates say clearer protocols and limits on how enforcement intersects with schools are needed to protect children and ensure due process.
Sources
- The Guardian — news reporting (original article summarizing the incident)
- Minnesota Public Radio — local public radio (reporting on school officials’ remarks)
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security — official (federal agency; DHS had not issued an immediate response as reported)