ICE Enforcement Against Children Is Mounting — And the Damage Is Lasting

Enforcement operations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), frequently carried out with local police, have produced a growing number of traumatic encounters involving children across multiple U.S. cities. These incidents — from toddlers pulled from cars to teenagers detained and transferred out of state — are reshaping how young people view law enforcement and are producing ripple effects across communities.

Shocking Incidents Involving Children

Portland: A child followed an ICE agent and banged on the agent’s car; the agent reportedly radioed local police, saying, 'Send someone over, or I’m gonna shoot this kid.'

Boise: Reporting cited in an ACLU lawsuit describes roughly 60 children pulled from cars, tackled, held at gunpoint by ICE and local officers wielding military-grade gear, struck with plastic projectiles, and zip-tied so tightly that some children’s wrists bled. An acting ICE field office director allegedly emailed that the raid 'wouldn’t have been possible without everyone here.'

Massachusetts (Everett): A 13-year-old stopped at a bus stop was transferred to ICE custody and ultimately detained out of state for months before being removed, according to reporting.

Ohio (Gratis/Cincinnati): Officers reportedly drove 50 miles beyond their jurisdiction to perform wellness checks of unaccompanied children in Cincinnati Public Schools for ICE.

Chicago: Preschool children watched as a daycare teacher was seized in front of toddlers despite reporting that officers lacked a judicial arrest warrant. In another city, high school students in Memphis recorded federal agents and National Guard personnel patrolling campuses after classmates were stopped on the way to a soccer game.

How These Actions Affect Youth and Communities

Beyond immediate physical harm and trauma, these enforcement tactics undermine trust in police and civic institutions. Young people who repeatedly witness aggressive enforcement are more likely to view law enforcement as illegitimate, to stop cooperating with police, and to adopt hostile or bullying behaviors they observe from authorities.

Research and reporting amplify these concerns: a 2025 University of California, Los Angeles survey of high school principals found bullying of immigrant students rose by roughly 35 percent. Public accounts also link persistent harassment about immigration status to suicides of minors in North Carolina and Texas. Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram document additional instances of harassment and fear.

Pushback From Some Local Law Enforcement

Not all local agencies are following ICE’s lead. Several law-enforcement leaders have refused to sign or have withdrawn from 287(g)-style cooperation agreements, citing community trust and constitutional obligations. Officials named in reporting as resisting deeper cooperation include Sheriff Rochelle Bilal (Philadelphia), Chicago Police Chief Larry Snelling, Police Chief Mark Bruley (Brooklyn Park, Minnesota), and Sheriff Danny Ceisler (Bucks County, Pennsylvania). Other departments, however, continue to accept federal incentives to partner with ICE.

What Needs To Change

To protect children and preserve community trust, local leaders and policymakers should prioritize enforcement policies that avoid family and school settings, limit cooperation that undermines constitutional protections, and expand independent oversight of joint operations. Communities and law-enforcement agencies that value long-term legitimacy must weigh short-term incentives against the lasting harm inflicted on youth and civic life.

As James Baldwin observed, 'Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.'