January 22,2026
RED FM News Desk
School leaders in Columbia Heights,Minnesota U.S., held a press conference Wednesday to address the impact of recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions on the district.
Columbia Heights Public Schools (CHPS) Superintendent Zena Stenvik shared details of four separate incidents involving students:
On Tuesday, a 17-year-old high school student was taken by ICE agents on the way to school without any parents present.
Also Tuesday, a 5-year-old preschooler was taken along with his father while in their driveway. ICE agents reportedly removed the child from the vehicle and instructed him to knock on the door to check if anyone else was home. The family has an active asylum case with no deportation order.
Two weeks ago, a 10-year-old fourth grader and her mother were taken by ICE on the way to school. They were transported to a detention center in Texas and remain there.
Last week, a 17-year-old student and her mother were detained by ICE at their apartment.
Stenvik noted ICE agents have been present in neighborhoods, around schools, and even following school buses. On Wednesday, an ICE vehicle entered the high school loading dock but was asked to leave by school staff. Stenvik said that the sense of safety in the community and schools has been deeply affected, leaving staff and families shaken. Board of Education Chair Mary Granlund emphasized that children should feel safe coming to school and waiting at bus stops, and families should not fear dropping off or picking up their children. She added that schools must remain secure places where children and families can thrive. In response, the district is offering online learning options.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement saying ICE did not target any children. The operation on January 20 targeted Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, an illegal immigrant from Ecuador. DHS stated that Conejo Arias fled from ICE, leaving his child behind. For the child’s safety, an officer stayed with him while ICE apprehended the parent. DHS noted that parents can choose to accompany their children during removals and receive support through the CBP Home app.
There is growing attention on a Texas immigration detention center after two people held there died this month. ICE initially told The Washington Post that 55‑year‑old Geraldo Lunas Campos, who had a serious criminal record, died by suicide, emphasizing his status as an aggravated felon and convicted child sex offender. However, forensic investigators later determined that he died from asphyxia caused by compression of the neck and torso. Less than two weeks later at the same facility, a 36‑year‑old detainee from Nicaragua also died, and ICE has characterized that death as a presumed suicide. The family of the Cuban migrant who died is planning to file a wrongful‑death lawsuit.
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