Washington, Jan 23 (NationPress) Former US Vice President Kamala Harris has voiced her strong disapproval regarding the apprehension of a five-year-old boy alongside his father by US immigration officials. This incident marks the fourth case of student detainment in a suburban Minneapolis school district within recent days, according to local news outlets on Friday.

In a post shared on social media platform X, Harris expressed, "Liam Ramos is merely a child. He deserves to be with his family at home, not exploited as leverage by ICE and confined in a Texas detention center. My outrage is palpable, and it should resonate with you as well."

As per Marc Prokosch, an attorney representing the family, both the boy and his father have been transferred to Dilley, Texas, where they are currently being held at an immigration detention facility. It has been reported that they arrived in the US from Ecuador in 2024 and both hold active asylum claims, as stated by The New York Times.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Prokosch remarked, "These individuals are not illegal immigrants. They entered the country legally and are following the appropriate legal procedures."

A photograph disseminated by the school district depicts five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos beside a vehicle, with an adult's hand resting on his backpack. School officials confirmed that both Liam and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, had just returned home when immigration agents took them into custody.

A representative from the US Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, indicated that the father fled on foot and left Liam in the vehicle when agents attempted to detain him. McLaughlin mentioned that agents had sought to have Liam's mother care for him, but she had "declined" the offer. McLaughlin further noted that Adrian expressed a desire for Liam to reside with him.

In a statement, Stenvik, the district superintendent, added that another adult residing in the home had "pleaded" to look after Liam, as reported by The New York Times. However, federal agents denied this request.

During a press conference on Thursday, Mary Granlad recounted hearing an adult offer to take care of the child. She urged authorities to allow her to keep Liam as a representative of the school.

Granlad also shared that Liam's father was urging adults inside the home not to open the door, likely fearing that other individuals would be apprehended. Previously, school officials accused immigration agents of making the boy knock on the door of his home as "bait" to arrest others, a claim that immigration officials have disputed.