#migrant-children

#migrant-children

January 27 marks one week since Liam Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old Ecuadorian boy, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis while returning from school with his father. Images of the child, wearing his blue hat and carrying a Spider-Man backpack, guarded by federal agents, instantly became a symbol of the indiscriminate nature of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown in the United States, and reopened the debate about the treatment of children in migrant detention centers.

UPDATE: In a response received Wednesday after this episode aired, the Administration for Children and Families, which oversees ORR, said the office "has not issued a moratorium" on sponsor releases, but alluded to "enhanced vetting policies" for adults who will be caring for the children after their release. "ORR continues to discharge children to vetted sponsors when all statutory and safety requirements are fully met and when release is assessed to be appropriate given the child's individual needs and circumstances," ACF told the California Newsroom. "Each case is evaluated individually, and decisions are made based on child welfare best practices."

The Canary Islands court shut down a center for unaccompanied migrant children due to severe allegations of abuse, prompting immediate police action and investigations.