QUEENS, NY (WPIX) – August 2025 – Reports confirm that a 7-year-old girl, along with her family, has been detained by ICE, stirring controversy and concern within the community.
The young girl, who attends Public School 89 in Queens, and her mother are currently held at an ICE detention facility in Texas, while her 19-year-old brother remains in custody in New Jersey. “It’s appalling to see a child in ICE detention like this,” stated Queens City Councilman Shekat Krishanan in a WPIX interview. “She ought to be with her mother, preparing for school in just a few weeks, not facing such a traumatic situation.”
Notably, this incident marks the first documented ICE arrest of a minor under 18 in New York City, as highlighted by Krishanan in a social media update.
The girl’s name has been withheld for privacy reasons. In a separate report by the nonprofit news outlet The City, it was revealed that the child’s mother entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in 2022.
This isn’t the first instance of ICE detaining students in New York City. Mamadou Diallo, another local student, was apprehended during a routine legal hearing, according to City Council Member Lincoln Restler.
In light of these events, New York City Public Schools issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to support all students and families. They have been actively connecting families who face detention with community organizations for legal assistance. “Our schools are safe, welcoming environments, and we encourage families to keep sending their children,” the statement read.
New York Attorney General Letitia James took to social media, expressing her outrage: “This administration’s actions are tearing families apart. It is cruel, inhumane, and entirely unacceptable.”