Ilhan Omar and Liberal Media Spread Viral Hoax Claiming ICE ‘Detained’ 5-Year-Old Boy in Minnesota, DHS Explains the Boy Was Actually Abandoned by His Illegal Alien Father
Rep. Ilhan Omar, liberal activists, and leftist outlets like NPR, the Star Tribune, and the Washington Post amplified a hoax story alleging that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “detained” a 5-year-old child during an arrest operation in Minnesota.
However, the incident, which occurred on Tuesday, actually involved ICE officers protecting the young boy after his illegal immigrant father abandoned him while fleeing arrest.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) corrected the record on social media, stating that the child was never detained as a suspect but was safeguarded in accordance with standard procedures.
According to the department, officers approached Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, an illegal alien from Ecuador who had been released into the U.S. interior by the Biden administration despite his unlawful status.
Arias, who had been ordered deported by a federal judge, was driving with his 5-year-old son when agents attempted to arrest him.
Instead of complying, Arias fled on foot, abandoning the child in the vehicle.
For the child’s safety, one ICE officer remained with him while others apprehended Arias.
However, open-borders school officials at Columbia Heights Public Schools quickly spun the event into a scandal.
Superintendent Zena Stenvik held a news conference, questioning, “Why detain a 5-year-old?” and insisting, “You cannot tell me that this child is going to be classified as a violent criminal.”
The district claimed ICE agents used the boy as “bait” by having him knock on doors during the operation and refused to leave him with another adult who “begged” them to do so.
Liberal outlets jumped on the story with inflammatory headlines designed to evoke outrage.
NPR complained in their headline, “ICE detains 5-year-old Minnesota boy; school leader says agents used him as ‘bait.’” The Star Tribune ran with, “Preschooler and three other students detained by ICE, school district leader says.” The Washington Post followed suit with a front-page article quoting the school officials’ accusations and framing the arrest as part of broader “chaos” from ICE operations targeting migrants with children.
Somali-born Rep. Omar played a key role in spreading the hoax, posting on X that ICE had “detained” a child and called it “absolutely vile.”
ICE just detained a 5-year-old child.
Don’t tell us this is about “the worst of the worst.” That’s a lie.
Absolutely vile.https://t.co/YAADttsNlv
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 22, 2026
ICE did NOT target a child. The child was ABANDONED.
On January 20, ICE conducted a targeted operation to arrest Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias an illegal alien from Ecuador who was RELEASED into the U.S. by the Biden administration.
As agents approached the driver Adrian… https://t.co/UmxxV34omm
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) January 22, 2026
DHS quoted Omar’s post and clarified:
ICE did NOT target a child. The child was ABANDONED.
On January 20, ICE conducted a targeted operation to arrest Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias an illegal alien from Ecuador who was RELEASED into the U.S. by the Biden administration.
As agents approached the driver Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, fled on foot—abandoning his child. For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias.
Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates. This is consistent with past administration’s immigration enforcement. Parents can take control of their departure and receive a free flight and $2,600 with the CBP Home app. By using the CBP Home app illegal aliens reserve the chance to come back the right legal way.
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