Intro
ICE agents seized a 2-year-old girl and her father in south Minneapolis on Thursday, sparking controversy over the detention of a child and the lack of a judicial warrant. Minneapolis City Council member Jason Chavez said the family was stopped while returning from a grocery store, and the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the father’s arrest. The incident follows a string of high-profile detentions in the Twin Cities that have drawn national attention.
At a Glance
- ICE detained a father and a 2-year-old in south Minneapolis.
- DHS said the father was an illegal immigrant from Ecuador who committed felony reentry.
- The event comes amid a broader crackdown that has seen 3,000 federal immigration personnel deployed in Minnesota.
Why it matters: The arrest raises questions about the treatment of minors in immigration enforcement and the procedures used by ICE.
ICE Detains Father and 2-Year-Old in Minneapolis
Elvis Joel Tipan-Echeverria and his daughter, Chloe Renata Tipan Villacis, were taken in south Minneapolis on their way home from a grocery store, according to Council member Jason Chavez. In a post on Instagram, Chavez wrote: “A suspicious vehicle followed her father’s vehicle home, broke his window and kidnapped them,” and added, “No judicial warrant was provided.”
A spokesperson for DHS confirmed that Tipan-Echeverria was taken into custody and that he was driving with a child when he was stopped. The agency did not identify the child’s name, age or gender. DHS said that the child was taken to a federal facility and that the mother refused to take the child.
“Tipan-Echeverria was ‘an illegal immigrant from Ecuador who committed felony reentry and broke the laws of this nation,'” the spokesperson added. “DHS law enforcement took care of the child who the mother would not take, and the child and father are now reunited at a federal facility.”
During the arrest, approximately 120 individuals surrounded the agents, blocking them in and preventing them from exiting. The bystanders then began throwing rocks and garbage cans toward the agents and child before crowd control measures were deployed, DHS said.
Broader Immigration Crackdown
The apprehension comes days after 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, were taken into custody by ICE, incensing the Twin Cities and drawing international media attention.
DHS said that 5-year-old Liam’s mother “refused” to take him when ICE agents were apprehending his father, who is now in federal custody with Liam in Texas. School board chair Mary Granlund, who witnessed Liam and his father being taken into custody, disputed DHS’ claim, telling reporters on Thursday that she heard an adult inside the home begging agents to leave the child.
The apprehensions come amid a broader immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities. More than 3,000 federal immigration personnel have descended on Minnesota since December in what the federal government has dubbed Operation Metro Surge. About 3,000 people who are unlawfully in the country have been apprehended in the region in recent weeks, DHS said in a statement on Monday.
Immigration authorities were sent to the city after a right-wing YouTuber released a viral video alleging massive fraud at child care centers owned by Somali immigrants. The video placed renewed attention on the Justice Department’s investigation into an alleged $250 million fraud scheme involving some members of Minnesota’s Somali community.
Community and Media Reaction
The series of detentions has sparked intense debate. Some community members argue that the presence of a child in the vehicle should have triggered a different response, while others question the legality of detaining a minor without a judicial warrant. The DHS statements emphasize the father’s illegal status and the refusal of the mother to take the child, but local officials and observers remain divided.
The video released by the YouTuber has fueled further scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics in the region, with critics calling for clearer guidelines and greater transparency in the handling of families.
Key Takeaways
- ICE detained a father and his 2-year-old daughter in south Minneapolis.
- DHS confirmed the father’s illegal status and the refusal of the mother to take the child.
- The incident follows a broader crackdown that has seen 3,000 federal immigration personnel deployed in Minnesota.
- The events highlight ongoing controversies over the treatment of minors and the use of judicial warrants in immigration enforcement.
Morgan J. Carter contributed.
