ICE Detains U.S. Children in Minnesota Raid

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A renewed focus on aggressive immigration enforcement following the recent presidential inauguration has led to a major controversy in Worthington, Minnesota. In a workplace raid on January 21, 2026, ICE agents detained four American citizen children, including a five-year-old separated from his family without food, for over 12 hours. This action directly violated 2021 federal guidelines prohibiting collateral arrests of citizen minors, sparking a state investigation by Attorney General Keith Ellison, congressional calls for hearings, and a surge of anxiety among Minnesota’s immigrant communities.

Story Overview

Four U.S. citizen children ages 5-17 were detained by ICE for over 12 hours during a January 21, 2026, raid at a Worthington, Minnesota meatpacking plant
The five-year-old was separated from his family without food or parental contact, contradicting Biden-era guidelines prohibiting collateral arrests of citizen minors
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison launched an investigation into the unlawful detention of citizens as protests erupted at ICE offices
The raid resulted in 18 deportations and caused 20% school absenteeism in the Latino-majority community amid widespread fear

Enforcement Operation Details

ICE agents raided a meatpacking facility in Worthington, Minnesota on January 21, 2026, arresting approximately 20 undocumented workers at 6:00 AM. When four children arrived at 7:00 AM to pick up their parents, agents detained them despite all four possessing U.S. birth certificates. The children were transported to ICE’s Bloomington field office where they remained until 7:30 PM. The five-year-old boy was isolated without food or parental contact for most of the detention period. ICE defended the action as a “collateral arrest” standard procedure, though the detentions violated 2021 Biden-era guidelines specifically prohibiting such arrests of citizen minors during enforcement operations.

Community and Economic Impact

Worthington, a town of 13,000 residents with a 70% Latino population, experienced immediate fallout from the raid. Local schools reported 20% absenteeism on January 22 as fear spread through immigrant communities. The targeted meatpacking plant, operating at just 60% capacity following the arrests, faces projected weekly losses of $2 million. University of Minnesota estimates suggest Minnesota’s meatpacking industry could sustain over $50 million in annual losses due to escalated enforcement. Child welfare hotline calls surged 300% statewide as Latino and Somali communities, totaling over 500,000 Minnesotans, grappled with heightened anxiety about family separations.

ICE detains four Minnesota children including five-year-old, school officials say https://t.co/jmfp7vMWbz pic.twitter.com/bNe7bmdubK

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 23, 2026

Legal and Political Response

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a state investigation into what he termed “unlawful detention of citizens” on January 23. Governor Tim Walz condemned the action as “unacceptable cruelty,” violating federal guidelines, while Senator Amy Klobuchar pushed for congressional hearings. CAIR-Minnesota, representing the family, announced plans for a class-action lawsuit against ICE. ICE officials defended their actions, stating “citizens were not targeted” and characterizing the brief holds as standard protocol. The Department of Homeland Security initiated an internal review on January 22 following protests at the Bloomington ICE office that drew approximately 200 demonstrators. The incident highlights tensions between state sanctuary policies and federal enforcement priorities.

Four children detained by ICE from Minnesota school district, official says | Reuters

Historical Context and Precedent

The Worthington raid echoes troubling precedents in immigration enforcement history. During the 2008 Agriprocessors raid in Postville, Iowa, 1,300 arrests resulted in over 100 children separated from parents, prompting subsequent child welfare reforms. Similar incidents occurred in 2019 when four U.S. citizen children were detained during an MS-13 raid in New York, leading to an ACLU lawsuit settled in 2022. In 2025, a Texas raid held eight citizen minors for over 24 hours under DHS internal review. President Trump’s January 20, 2026 inauguration revived aggressive workplace enforcement through executive orders targeting 1 million annual deportations, reversing Biden’s 2021 pause on most raids. This pattern demonstrates persistent disregard for established child welfare protocols despite repeated legal challenges and reforms.

Watch the report: ICE detained four children in Minnesota, official says | REUTERS