US immigration detains two-year-old in Minneapolis, sparks massive outrage

PTC News Desk: A 2-year-old child was taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Thursday in Minneapolis while she was with her father, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 

Despite a court order demanding the toddler’s immediate release, the father and child were flown to Texas, CNN reported. The family’s attorney, Kira Kelley, later confirmed that the child had been released and was recovering from the traumatic experience.

Elvis Joel Tipan-Echeverria and his daughter, Chloe Renata Tipan Villacis, were detained in South Minneapolis while returning home from a grocery trip. Minneapolis City Council member Jason Chavez alleged on Instagram that a suspicious vehicle followed the father’s car, smashed a window, and detained both individuals without presenting a judicial warrant.

DHS, however, claimed Tipan-Echeverria was driving dangerously with a child in the vehicle and identified him as an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador with a prior felony reentry charge. Officials said agents attempted to hand the child over to her mother, but she declined, leading DHS to temporarily care for the toddler. Authorities stated that the father and daughter were later reunited at a federal facility.

According to DHS, Tipan-Echeverria ignored lawful commands to open his car door or window, prompting agents to take him into custody. During the operation, a crowd of roughly 120 people reportedly surrounded ICE officers, throwing rocks and trash in an attempt to block their departure.

Chloe is reportedly the fifth child detained by ICE in recent weeks, fueling criticism of President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies.

In a separate case, a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, was detained along with his father after returning home from preschool in Minnesota. Federal agents reportedly took the child from a running car in the family’s driveway. School officials criticized the officers, alleging the child was used to lure others from the home.