A Vermont community is shaken after a 7-year-old elementary school student went missing over Thanksgiving break. School officials later found out that he had been detained by ICE agents while traveling with his mother.
The boy, a student at JFK Elementary School in Winooski, a city rich in diversity and immigrants, did not show up for classes on Monday after the long weekend. Initially, teachers thought he might be sick or still traveling. By mid-morning, the school realized something was very wrong.
When staff called the family to check in, they spoke to his father, who provided a chilling update. He hadn’t heard from his wife or son since Thursday. Their phones were silent, and he had no idea where they were.
Superintendent Wilmer Chavarria said the district quickly began making calls and gathering information. “We learned that the student and their mother were detained by immigration authorities,” Chavarria said, describing the news as both heartbreaking and alarming. The district informed families on Monday afternoon, urging them to show compassion and reminding the community of its commitment to support students caught in immigration issues.
In Winooski, where about half the population comes from immigrant or refugee backgrounds, the news had a strong impact. Parents reached out to each other throughout the day, asking what happened, if the child was safe, and whether other families could be next. Many were unaware that traveling during a holiday weekend could lead to an ICE intervention, especially for longtime residents with school-aged children.
A Winooski student in the second grade is in immigration detention in Texas after he and his mother were detained while traveling over the holiday weekend, according to district superintendent Wilmer Chavarria.
Winooski School District officials called the 7-year-old boy’s home… pic.twitter.com/7HEZ1VjJak
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District staff indicated that the father was “extremely distressed” and had spent days trying to contact his wife, unsure if something terrible had happened to them on the road. He learned that immigration authorities had taken them only when school administrators reached out on Monday.
Chavarria noted that this case has raised fears across the district, especially among younger children who know the boy and are wondering where he is and when he will come home. Teachers were told to maintain regular routines and reassure students who might be picking up bits of the story from older siblings or parents.
While the district did not share details about the mother’s immigration status or the reasons for her and her son’s detention, advocates in Vermont say ICE has increased enforcement actions in recent months, often detaining mixed-status families during routine travel.
Families in Winooski say the boy is well-known at JFK Elementary. He is described as a cheerful, quiet child who loves reading and recess. The idea that he was taken into custody during a family trip has left many parents feeling angry and scared.
“People are nervous now,” one Winooski resident said. “We’re wondering if we need to be concerned about traveling for Christmas. No one should have to think like that.”
The school district stated that it is in touch with the father and is working to connect him with legal resources. However, officials admitted they do not have information on where the mother and child are being held or what the next steps will be in their case.
