DHS fires back after Dem accuses ICE of 'needlessly' detaining boy with father after mom refused to take him
Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is accusing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of "needlessly" detaining a 5-year-old child with his illegal immigrant father after the agency said his mother...
By Fox News · Fox News
Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is accusing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of "needlessly" detaining a 5-year-old child with his illegal immigrant father after the agency said his mother refused to take custody. In an X post featuring pictures of 5-year-old Liam Ramos, Duckworth, a second-term senator, wrote that "Trump's ICE snatched this bright, happy 5-year-old from his driveway." "They shipped him 1,300 miles to suffer, without his mother, in a squalid Texas detention center. And now he's growing ill. Democrats are fighting to end this cruelty," she wrote. "Liam is not a criminal. Let him go." DEM GOVERNOR DUCKS QUESTION ON 'MONSTER' ILLEGAL ALIEN WHO FRACTURED 8-YEAR-OLD’S SKULL WITH ROCK ATTACK However, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin posted a statement from Dr. Sean Conley, acting director of DHS’ Office of Health Security and chief medical officer, in which he addressed the child’s condition. Conley said that a pediatrician examined Ramos and "found no medical concerns." "It is standard policy to provide medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody. This includes medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility and access to necessary medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. This is the best healthcare many of these individuals have received in their entire lives," said Conley. The doctor added that "ensuring the safety, security and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE." He said illegal aliens are "provided with three meals a day that are certified by dieticians, including pediatric considerations." In response, Duckworth told Fox News Digital, "The Trump administration suggesting that needlessly keeping a 5-year-old in federal custody is in his best interests is appalling. "Detaining children like this i…