A 6-year-old girl, her teenage brother, and their mother were reportedly arrested by immigration officials at a Manhattan immigration court last week.
According to CBS News, the family, who are originally from Ecuador, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on August 12 after they showed up for a standard check-in at 26 Federal Plaza.
Why It Matters
As part of his aggressive deportation policy, President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. According to the White House, everybody who enters the nation illegally ought to be punished like a criminal. Since then, ICE has been under increased scrutiny and is now at the forefront of the national immigration discussion.
The Department of Homeland Security removed its earlier limitations on ICE operations at courthouses and other sensitive sites earlier this year. Previously, these locations were regarded as off-limits so that people could obtain necessary services without worrying about being arrested.
What To Know
Advocates told CBS News that the mother, named as Martha, fled violence in Ecuador with her daughter Dayra and her 19-year-old son Manuel before arriving in the United States.
According to NBC 4 New York, Dayra attends Queens’ Jose Peralta School of Dreamers, PS 89.
Families like Martha’s are frequently fleeing unsafe situations, but when they are kept in this manner, they suffer further trauma, according to Mariposa Benitez, founder of the advocacy group Mi Tlalli.
The family was split up and taken to other facilities shortly after the arrest, according to CBS News. Manuel was brought to Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, and Martha and her little daughter were sent to a prison facility in Dilley, Texas.
Family-friendly retrofits have been made to the Dilley Detention Center. According to DHS spokesman Tricia McLaughlin, adults with children are kept in institutions that meet their medical, safety, and security needs, as reported by Newsweek.
The government added that an immigration judge had issued final orders of removal for the family, who had entered the country illegally in December 2022.
According to CBS News, there have been at least four recorded instances of immigration officers holding public school pupils in 2025.
What People Are Saying
Mi Tlalli’s Mariposa Benitez told CBS News:
They won’t be able to recover from the effects of family separation on their mental health for many years to come, according to me, a registered clinical social worker.
Speaking on behalf of DHS, Tricia McLaughlin stressed:
An immigration judge has issued final orders of removal for each of them.
Democratic Councilmember Shekar Krishnan told NBC 4 New York:
Three weeks from now, classes are expected to begin. Dayra ought to purchase school supplies with her mother.
Additionally, a NYC Schools representative stated:
When we learn of a family being held in custody, we have, with their consent, put them in touch with agency and community partners who can provide resources and legal assistance.
What Happens Next
Until removal procedures are completed, the family will stay in ICE custody.
