A Haitian 8-year-old was taken by ICE at routine check-in, rattling a San Diego school district

Key Points:

• An 8-year-old Haitian boy was taken into custody by immigration officers during a routine appointment in San Diego after his Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was terminated following a Supreme Court decision allowing the end of TPS for Haitians.
• The boy was separated from his uncle and cousins, with immigration authorities labeling him an unaccompanied minor because the uncle could not establish legal guardianship, leading to his transfer to the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
• The boy’s family currently does not know his whereabouts, and Rep. Juan Vargas is assisting them in obtaining information; the case has sparked concern among the school community, prompting the deployment of crisis counselors to his elementary school.
• DHS stated the boy was brought to the U.S. illegally by a man claiming to be his father, who was deported to Mexico, and denied allegations that the boy was placed in detention, while immigrant advocates criticize the administration for removing the child from his family and community.
• The San Diego Unified School District and immigrant rights groups highlight the emotional impact on the boy’s classmates and call for reconsideration of immigration enforcement policies affecting children, but have yet to receive a response from DHS or HHS.