Family Separations

Teen Dies of Cancer While Father Detained by ICE

A courageous Chicago teenager, who fought tirelessly for her father’s release from ICE custody while battling a devastating illness herself, has sadly passed away at the young age of 16. This heartbreaking situation underscores a profound tragedy, leaving many to question the systems and societal values that allowed such circumstances to unfold. Ofelia Torres, as she was known, succumbed to a rare and aggressive form of cancer, metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Her fight was not only against her own illness but also a desperate plea for her family to be whole during her final days.

The cruel irony of this story lies in the fact that Ofelia’s father was not by her side when she took her last breath.… Continue reading

ICE’s Tactics: Mother’s Terror as Son is Taken, Allegations of Lies and Abuse

A Minnesota mother witnessed immigration agents apprehend her 5-year-old son and his father, Adrián Alexander Conejo Arias, after they were returning from preschool. According to the mother, Erika Ramos, the agents used the child as a way to get her to open the door, but she refused out of fear of being arrested and leaving her other child alone. Liam and his father were subsequently moved from Minnesota to Texas and are currently in the Dilley Immigration Processing Center. Ramos has reported that her son is sick and not receiving medicine, while the Department of Homeland Security claims the child has been examined and cleared by a pediatrician. A temporary restraining order has been issued to prevent the father and son from being removed from the country.

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Inside Dilley: Detention Center Holds 5-Year-Old Liam Conejo-Ramos Amidst Abysmal Conditions

In Dilley, Texas, detainees, including young children, protested conditions at the detention center, sparked by a general strike in Minneapolis. Attorneys Eric Lee and Sam Doiron witnessed and described the conditions, including unsanitary living conditions and separation of families. The attorneys also highlighted the difficulties in tracking detained individuals and the potential for retribution against those who speak out. The facility, which had been closed, reopened, raising concerns about potential growth and the ongoing challenges faced by families held in immigration detention.

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Families Protest Texas Detention of Boy Separated From Father, Blame Congress

Immigrant families protested at a Texas detention facility Saturday, spurred by the recent detention of a 5-year-old boy and his father, as seen in aerial photos and heard through chants of “Libertad.” The families, including Maria Alejandra Montoya Sanchez, are reportedly exhausted by long detentions and poor conditions. According to the families, the protest was organized internally, and one attorney noted the courage of the children and parents who participated despite the risk of retribution. This protest occurred amid rising tensions in Minneapolis, where a federal officer shot and killed a man, adding to the complexities surrounding immigration under the Trump administration.

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ICE Detains Asylum-Seeking Family Seeking Medical Care in Oregon

On January 16, 2026, Yohendry De Jesus Crespo, Darianny Liseth Gonzalez De Crespo, and their 7-year-old daughter Diana were detained by immigration officers outside of Portland Adventist Health while seeking medical attention for Diana. The family is now held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, a facility known for concerns regarding medical care. The family, who arrived from Venezuela over a year ago and have pending asylum applications, was reportedly denied Diana’s request to see a doctor despite the situation. Oregon officials and advocacy groups have expressed concern about the family’s detention, particularly the well-being of the child, and have called for swift and humane action.

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Missing 6-Year-Old Boy After ICE Detains Father Sparks Outcry

A six-year-old Chinese boy, Yuanxin, was separated from his father, Fei Zheng, after their arrest at a routine ICE appointment in New York City. While the father is held in an Orange County Correctional Facility, the location of the boy remains undisclosed by Homeland Security, sparking concerns from advocates and New York officials. ICE claims the father refused to leave with the child and was disruptive, leading to the separation and the boy’s placement in safe custody. This incident adds to growing criticism of ICE practices, with officials demanding the family’s reunification and ending the separation of families.

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ICE Abducts Father, Separates and “Disappears” Child: Outrage and Calls for Action

On November 26th, ICE agents arrested a Chinese father, Fei, and his 6-year-old son, Yuanxin, at a check-in at 26 Federal Plaza. The father was subsequently sent to an Orange County Jail, while the son’s whereabouts remain unknown. Advocates reported the separation occurred after the family was detained, with the father stating he was not informed of his son’s destination. The incident is part of a growing trend, with data revealing an increase in child arrests by ICE, including other families being apprehended at check-ins.

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ICE Grabs Queens Girl, Mother, at NYC Immigration Check-in, Sparks Outrage

A six-year-old girl from Queens and her mother were detained by federal agents in New York City and are now held in a Texas detention facility, while her teenage brother is in New Jersey. The family, originally from Ecuador, was apprehended following a routine check-in at immigration court. According to a spokesperson, the family entered the country illegally in 2022 and has received final orders of removal, however, local officials are working with legal aid to assist the family.

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Children Abandoned: The Human Cost of Immigration Raids

On Thursday morning, 15-year-old Juan Martinez received a call from his mother, who reported that ICE agents were at her workplace, Glass House Farms. His mother was subsequently taken into custody during the ICE raid and has not contacted him since. Martinez is now left caring for his two younger siblings while awaiting news about his mother’s situation and potential deportation. Another undocumented Glass House employee, Alexa’s mother, was also apprehended during the raid but was later released from custody after seeking medical attention while pregnant; they are now fearful of further action. An attorney representing the families notes that ICE is no longer using discretion, as they did in prior administrations, and is taking everyone.

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ICE Agents’ Laughter at Detainee’s Wife Sparks Outrage

Roberto Diego Alvarez Oliva, a Peruvian national with no criminal record, was arrested by ICE agents in Pennsylvania while on his way to work, leaving his wife Nicole Alvarez distraught and their infant son unattended. Alvarez alleges the agents mocked her distress during the arrest and subsequent deportation of her husband, who was subsequently transferred through several detention centers before being deported to Peru. Despite providing extensive documentation proving his contributions to the family and community, their pleas to halt the deportation were denied, leaving the family financially destitute and emotionally devastated. The family is now facing immense financial hardship and exploring expensive legal avenues to reunite.

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