Lawmakers demand answers after ICE takes 8-year-old Haitian boy into custody
Democratic members of Congress seek information on the detention of an elementary school student following an immigration appointment.
KEY POINTS
- An 8-year-old Haitian third grader was taken into federal custody after an immigration appointment
- Democratic lawmakers from San Diego wrote to two Cabinet secretaries demanding answers
- The boy had been living with relatives since his father was deported to Mexico in 2025
- ICE denied the allegations and said the account is false
- The child lost Temporary Protected Status earlier this year
Democratic lawmakers from San Diego have demanded answers from federal officials after an 8-year-old Haitian boy was taken into custody following an immigration hearing. The child, a third-grade student at Fay Elementary School in San Diego, attended a scheduled appointment with Immigration and Customs Enforcement last Thursday accompanied by his uncle.
Representatives Juan Vargas, Sara Jacobs, Scott Peters, and Mike Levin, along with Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mullin and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. They expressed concerns about the child's safety and well-being.
“The safety and well-being of children and families in San Diego County must remain the highest priority.”
According to advocates and school officials, the boy had been living with his uncle and cousins since his father was deported to Mexico in 2025. The child also lost Temporary Protected Status earlier this year amid broader changes to immigration protections under the Trump administration.
The lawmakers cited video footage that appears to show restraints being used on the child. They requested confirmation of the boy's whereabouts, whether his family knows his location, and what steps agencies are taking to reunite him with his relatives.
ICE disputed the account in a statement posted on X on Tuesday. The agency said allegations that it took a third grader into custody for detention are false and described suggestions otherwise as an attempt to smear its officers.
The incident occurs amid a broader immigration crackdown by the Trump administration that has placed millions of families under pressure. Tougher enforcement measures and changes to legal protections have left many immigrants uncertain about their futures in the United States.
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