ICE takes 8-year-old Haitian boy into custody in San Diego

San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) and city officials reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took an 8-year-old Haitian student into custody earlier this week, according to FOX 5 San Diego. The child attended Fay Elementary in City Heights and was living with his uncle after his father was deported over a year ago.

SDUSD, local labor unions, and City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Refugee Resettlement alleging ICE detained the boy, separating him from his guardian, school, friends, and community. Elo-Rivera noted the boy's parents were taken from him last year.

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson disputed claims that ICE took the child into custody for detention purposes. The spokesperson said the boy was initially brought into the U.S. illegally with a man claiming to be his father, who was removed to Mexico by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and has never been in ICE custody.

DHS stated the child's uncle could not prove legal guardianship, leading ICE to take custody under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) requirements. To ensure the child's safety, ICE placed him in the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, the spokesperson added.

The school district's letter mentioned the boy was affected by the Trump administration's decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian migrants, which impacted over 300,000 Haitians nationwide, according to FOX 5 San Diego.