Democrats have seized upon media reports that a 5-year-old boy was used as “bait” by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to target the Dilley Detention Center near San Antonio. Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) announced she would visit the facility next week to conduct oversight, citing concerns over the whereabouts of Liam Ramos, a child allegedly kidnapped by ICE while returning home from preschool in Minneapolis.
Crockett stated on social media: “I am aware of reports that this precious 5-year old, Liam Ramos, who was kidnapped by ICE as he returned home from preschool in Minneapolis may be in San Antonio, Texas. I will be visiting the Dilley Detention Center in San Antonio next week to conduct oversight and will demand answers on the whereabouts and well-being of Liam.” She emphasized: “We have an absolute right — under federal law and the Constitution — to enter detention facilities, unannounced, to ensure the safety and well-being of people in government custody. I am outraged. My heart aches for Liam’s family. We will get answers.”
The Department of Homeland Security vehemently denied allegations that the child was subjected to maltreatment, claiming he had been protected by agents after his father fled an immigration enforcement operation. An attorney for the family stated the boy’s father had a pending asylum claim, but Vice President JD Vance contradicted this, labeling him an illegal alien.
Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas posted a video asserting that “I’ve been there & seen the state-of-the-art facilities & protocols that @ICEgov follows,” adding: “In the coming days, you’ll see a lot of grandstanding by politicians at the Dilley ICE Center in my district. It’s all for show.”
Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also condemned the situation, writing: “Enforcing the law is one thing. Terrorizing a population, using children as pawns, is another. My heart aches for Liam Ramos and his family.”
