A Two-Year-Old Girl Detained by Immigration Agents in Minnesota, Released After Court Order Amid International Backlash.
Federal immigration agents detained a two-year-old girl and her father in Minneapolis on Thursday in what one lawyer described as "depravity beyond words." The toddler was stopped along with her father at their home after they returned from the store. They were then taken to a detention center in Texas, sparking international outrage.
The father had been granted asylum, but immigration officials claimed he was an "illegal immigrant" and had re-entered the country illegally. However, according to his lawyers, he had no final order of removal and had lived in Minneapolis since being brought to the US as a newborn.
The mother stepped inside the house while agents approached, but they refused to let the father bring his daughter back to her. The toddler was placed in an immigration agent's vehicle without a car seat, while the father was detained separately.
Lawyers filed an emergency petition demanding the release of both the girl and her father, with a judge eventually issuing orders for their release. However, instead of releasing them locally, immigration officials put both on a plane to Texas.
The father remains in detention in Minnesota, but the toddler has been released into her mother's care after being flown back from Texas. The family's lawyers have criticized the government's practice of quickly transferring detainees out-of-state, saying it is meant to move cases out of local courts and make it harder for families to reach lawyers.
"This case is horrific... Anybody who is a parent or cares for young kids knows the fear that happens when a child is separated from their parent," said one lawyer. "There is no way to know the long-term impact this will have on this little toddler."
Federal immigration agents detained a two-year-old girl and her father in Minneapolis on Thursday in what one lawyer described as "depravity beyond words." The toddler was stopped along with her father at their home after they returned from the store. They were then taken to a detention center in Texas, sparking international outrage.
The father had been granted asylum, but immigration officials claimed he was an "illegal immigrant" and had re-entered the country illegally. However, according to his lawyers, he had no final order of removal and had lived in Minneapolis since being brought to the US as a newborn.
The mother stepped inside the house while agents approached, but they refused to let the father bring his daughter back to her. The toddler was placed in an immigration agent's vehicle without a car seat, while the father was detained separately.
Lawyers filed an emergency petition demanding the release of both the girl and her father, with a judge eventually issuing orders for their release. However, instead of releasing them locally, immigration officials put both on a plane to Texas.
The father remains in detention in Minnesota, but the toddler has been released into her mother's care after being flown back from Texas. The family's lawyers have criticized the government's practice of quickly transferring detainees out-of-state, saying it is meant to move cases out of local courts and make it harder for families to reach lawyers.
"This case is horrific... Anybody who is a parent or cares for young kids knows the fear that happens when a child is separated from their parent," said one lawyer. "There is no way to know the long-term impact this will have on this little toddler."
OMG, can you believe this? A 2-year-old girl just had her whole world turned upside down by those heartless immigration agents! I mean, what even is going on here? The dad was granted asylum and had lived in Minneapolis his whole life, but the agents still claimed he's an "illegal immigrant". Like, how does that work? 
And the fact that they just took her away from him without a car seat?! It's like something straight out of a movie... you know, one of those super intense ones where someone has to fight for their rights. 
And those lawyers are right, this little girl's future is already being messed up by these adults' decisions.
It's just not right, you know?
The government's policies are literally heartless, especially when it comes to families with kids. Transferring them out-of-state like that just adds more trauma. I mean, who do they think they're hurting by doing this? A family torn apart because of paperwork and politics... it's just not right 
. And what about the long-term effects on that little girl? She might never be the same again... 
the fact that they didnt even care about checking if the dad had final removal orders or not is just rediculous... like what kinda system are we living in where this happens?! 
i mean i get that immigration agents have a job to do but come on, there gotta be better ways to handle situations like this... or at least a bit more humanity involved 
. And what's with all these 'detention centers' 
I'm so grateful that the lawyers were able to get her released and back into her mom's arms 
. But let's talk about the bigger picture here... this kind of thing should never happen in our society 
. And can we please have some more oversight on these immigration agencies? It seems like they're just making a mess of everything 
And what's even more outrageous is that they're transferring them out-of-state without even checking if there are any other options locally. 
It's heartbreaking to think about how much trauma this little girl has already experienced and the long-term impact it will have on her.
it's like, what even is going on here? 
just to get rid of the case... i mean, can't they just do it locally where it's easier on everyone? 
. I don't blame them either, I would be freaking out if my kid was in a situation like that. And the fact that the government is moving these cases around to avoid local courts? That's just not right 
. The lawyers are saying that it's harder for families to get help when the kids are taken away from them, and I think that's so true.
Detaining a toddler is just cruel and unacceptable. The fact that they didn't give her a car seat or let the father bring her back to her own home is just heartbreaking 
. I mean, can't they see how traumatic this must be for a tiny human? 
The fact that a judge had to step in and order their release just shows how ridiculous this whole system is.
. This is such a travesty, and it's not just the fact that she was taken away from her dad, but also the way they treated her 
. No car seat, no nothing... just thrown into an SUV like a piece of luggage 
.
It's just not right. The dad was granted asylum and had been living in Minneapolis since he was a baby, so what's the big deal?