ICE loses track of 8-year-old Haitian boy after San Diego custody
A California congressman says the third-grader's whereabouts are unknown following his transfer to a refugee resettlement office.
By Simon Bennett ·
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took an eight-year-old Haitian boy into custody in San Diego on Nov. 4, and federal officials have not provided his current location to his family. The child was summoned to what relatives described as a routine immigration appointment. Video obtained by NBC News shows three armed officials leading the boy away from the site.
The boy attends Fay Elementary School in San Diego. He was in the care of his uncle and cousins after his father was deported to Mexico by Customs and Border Protection last year. The abrupt removal of the father left the family without a formal transfer of legal guardianship in the United States.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated that ICE detained the child to ensure his safety. The agency cited federal anti-trafficking laws, which require officials to take an unaccompanied alien child into care if guardianship cannot be proven. The spokesperson said the uncle could not provide documentation of legal guardianship at the time of the appointment.
The Department of Homeland Security rejected the claim that the boy is in detention. In a statement to The Guardian, the agency called those allegations false and characterized them as an attempt to undermine the work of President Donald Trump and Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Officials noted the boy lacked legal immigration status and had entered the country with his father.
Guerline Jozef, executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, said the boy was transferred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). This office operates under the Department of Health and Human Services. Jozef stated that the loss of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians has created fear within the community. She described the situation as painful for families who have built lives in the United States.
Congressman Juan Vargas, a Democrat from California, said he is working to reunite the child with his family. Vargas described the removal of a third-grader from his community as despicable and inhumane. He told NBC News that the boy's whereabouts remain unknown as of Monday.
Local education leaders expressed concern over the federal enforcement actions. Cody Petterson, a trustee for the San Diego Unified School District, wrote to ICE regarding the impact of revoking TPS safeguards. Petterson argued that the child belongs with his caregiver and uncle rather than in a facility with strangers. He noted that the board and superintendent share this concern.
The case is occurring amid a shift in presidential rhetoric on immigration. In a Sunday interview with CBS's 60 Minutes, President Trump said his mass deportation policy had been too tough for some Americans. He acknowledged that aggressive enforcement actions had both helped and hurt the Republican Party's performance in the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Trump hinted at a softer approach for the remainder of his term.
The Haitian Bridge Alliance said the community is living under a cloud of terror following recent raids. Jozef said families are unsure if they will hear from loved ones once they are taken by agents. The boy's uncle and cousins are currently waiting for word on the child's status and location.
