Judge orders 2‑year‑old released from ICE custody
A federal judge ordered the release of a 2‑year‑old girl from ICE custody. In a separate case, another Minnesota judge temporarily barred removal of a 5‑year‑old boy and his father, underscoring a pattern of federal courts in Minnesota intervening to limit ICE’s ability to remove children and whole family units and reflecting multiple successful emergency habeas actions.
📌 Key Facts
- The Twincities article concerns a different family — a 5-year-old boy and his father — not the 2-year-old referenced in other reporting.
- A federal judge issued a temporary order barring the removal of both the 5-year-old child and his father, not just the child.
- Courts in Minnesota are increasingly scrutinizing ICE’s authority over whole family units, not only minors.
- The decision reinforces a pattern of Minnesota federal judges stepping in to block or limit ICE’s ability to remove children seized during Metro Surge operations.
- The ruling adds to a mounting tally of successful emergency habeas actions filed on behalf of people detained in Minnesota and flown or threatened with transfer out of state.
📊 Relevant Data
Ecuador's homicide rate reached 44.5 per 100,000 people in 2025, the highest in South America, driving increased emigration and asylum seekers to the US, including Minnesota.
Over 244,000 Ecuadorians have requested asylum in the US since 2021, fueled by economic hardship and a surge in violence.
Why Have Hundreds of Thousands Fled Ecuador Since 2020? — AULABlog
Immigrants in Minnesota contributed $26 billion to the state's economy, with Somali Minnesotans contributing $8 billion, highlighting the economic impact of immigrant communities amid enforcement operations.
Economist: Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy — MPR News
Undocumented immigrants in Minnesota contributed $222 million in state and local taxes in 2022, supporting the economy through tax payments and business activities.
Undocumented immigrants contribute $222 million in Minnesota taxes — Minnesota Budget Project
Federal judges in Minnesota have increasingly intervened in ICE detentions involving children since the start of Operation Metro Surge in December 2025, with multiple emergency habeas actions blocking removals in January 2026.
Judges, inundated with immigration cases, don't mince ... - Politico — Politico
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- This article concerns a different family — a 5‑year‑old boy and his father — but it reinforces the same pattern: Minnesota federal judges stepping in to block or limit ICE’s ability to remove children seized during Metro Surge operations.
- The new order bars removal of both the child and the father, not just the child, indicating courts are scrutinizing ICE’s authority over whole family units, not only minors.
- The ruling adds to the mounting tally of successful emergency habeas actions filed on behalf of people detained in Minnesota and flown or threatened with transfer out of state.