Did ICE Mislead on Child Detentions? Fresh Arrests in San Antonio Area Raise Concerns

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers reportedly detained two kids and their mother in the US’ San Antonio area on Monday morning while they were waiting for the school bus. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Spokesperson stated that she was identified as Maria Betania Uzategui-Castillo from Venezuela, and her children had been living in the US illegally. While a protest has been carried out against the detention of three, this notably comes days after the DHS assistant secretary assured that ICE doesn’t target kids while reacting to another case.

According to KSAT, a flyer shared in an Alamo Heights neighborhood after the arrests claims that the descendant is in the US seeking asylum. It also states that the two children are students at Cambridge Elementary in the Alamo Heights Independent School District. Meanwhile, a DHS Spokesperson said, “They illegally entered the U.S. from Mexico on December 4, 2021. This administration is not going to ignore the rule of law.”

Alamo Heights Independent School District hasn’t yet responded to the situation due to federal privacy laws. Nevertheless, parents who came to pick up their children from the school expressed their concern. The report quotes an individual named Leo Tapia, who said, “My question is, why did they stop at a stop asking for immigration status? It’s kind of sad, because they went after the kids, you know, at a bus stop.”

Another grandparent who didn’t want to reveal her identity also stated that the move was wrong and that the “right guidelines” were not being followed. She added that authorities should focus on “hardened criminals” rather than people earning a living. A parent named Autumn shared that she learned about the incident on Instagram, stressing that she didn’t feel “safe at all.” She further added, “You know, these children are trying to go to school, they’re at a bus stop to go to school, and then they get detained.”

In addition, Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro also called out the detention of the two kids and their stepmother. He shared an image of the protestors in the area on his X and wrote, “I am in touch with their father, Victor Labrador, and I plan on visiting with the family during my inspection of Dilley tomorrow. The family were asylum seekers and had valid work permits—what is happening to them is shameful.”

Notably, the detention comes after DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that it was carrying out a “targeted operation” while reacting to the alleged arrest of a 5-year-old in Minnesota. According to The Guardian, she said, “ICE did NOT target a child.”

The report notes that the five-year-old was arrested while he was returning from school, when he and his father were transported to a Texas detention center.