JD Vance Justifies ICE Raid After Case Involving Child in Minnesota

• JD Vance Defends ICE Agents
• Child Case Sparks Controversy
• Minnesota Under Immigration Tension

U.S. Vice President JD Vance defended the actions of immigration agents on Thursday during an ICE  raid in Minnesota.

Vance denied that a five-year-old child was detained by federal agents during the operation.

According to his account, agents protected the child after his father fled upon the arrival of authorities.

JD Vance Defends ICE Immigration Raids in Minnesota

“What were they supposed to do? Leave him freezing on the street?” Vance told reporters.

The vice president spoke during an official visit to Minnesota, a state that has become a focal point of recent immigration raids.

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The region has seen a series of operations driven by the administration of President Donald Trump.

The purpose of Vance’s visit was to express direct support for agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

What Did Vance Say About the ICE Raid in Minnesota?

🚨 JD Vance PUMMELS Fake News reporter’s misleading question that a «5 year old was detained by ICE»

Turns out, this was an ABANDONED CHILD that agents saved from being stranded in the cold when his illegal alien father fled the scene

THEY SAVED THE KID, the Fake News claims… pic.twitter.com/yanxeBIyMY

— The Dibster (@TheDibsterX) January 22, 2026

Vance said that, as a father, he was concerned when reports surfaced claiming children had been detained.

He noted that local authorities alleged four minors were arrested in total.

Among them was a five-year-old child who was reportedly detained alongside his father.

However, the vice president said that after reviewing the case, it became clear no children were formally detained.

According to Vance, agents acted to protect the child after the father fled the scene.

He reiterated that there is no policy of arresting children during immigration operations.

Vance argued that the agents’ actions followed principles of care and safety.

His remarks were intended to respond to public criticism and local complaints.

Those criticisms point to what some describe as increasingly aggressive tactics in immigration raids.

What the School District Reported

#Migrants | U.S. federal authorities say a 5-year-old Ecuadorian child was “abandoned” during the detention of his father by ICE
pic.twitter.com/ytxumSQcq4

— El Diario (@eldiarioec) January 22, 2026

The Columbia Heights Public Schools issued a statement regarding the incident.

According to the district, a five-year-old boy named Liam Conejo Ramos was detained on Tuesday.

The child was returning home from school with his father when the operation occurred.

Both were intercepted at the entrance of their residence, according to the district.

After arresting the father, agents also took the child.

School officials said the boy could have been placed in the care of another adult.

Instead, agents transported the child along with his father under federal custody.

According to The Washington Post, both were taken to San Antonio.

They were placed under the custody of the Department of Homeland Security.

The case sparked outrage among educators and local authorities.

Political Context and Rising Tension in Minnesota

Tensions in Minnesota have increased in recent weeks.

One major trigger was the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis.

Good, a mother of three, was shot and killed by an ICE agent earlier this month.

Her death led to protests and widespread public criticism.

The incident has become a symbol of alleged abuses of authority.

Advocacy groups and local officials have questioned the conduct of some agents.

Vance visited Minnesota after making a prior stop in Ohio.

The tour is widely viewed as the start of the campaign leading into the midterm elections.

The elections will be held on November 3.

They will determine whether Republicans maintain control of Congress.

The visit aimed to reinforce political support for current immigration policies.

It also sought to limit the public fallout from recent enforcement actions.

The debate over immigration raids and their impact on communities remains unresolved