ICE detains 8-year-old Haitian boy at San Diego immigration appointment
Federal agents took an 8-year-old boy into custody during a scheduled appointment, sparking criticism from local officials and advocates.
An 8-year-old Haitian boy was taken into federal custody on November 4 after reporting for a scheduled immigration appointment in San Diego. The child had been living with his uncle since his father was deported to Mexico in March 2025. His detention has drawn sharp criticism from immigration advocates, school officials, and local elected leaders who are demanding his release.
According to the San Diego Unified School District, the uncle brought the third-grader to the appointment after receiving a letter instructing him to report to federal immigration authorities. Karen Pohl, a volunteer immigration court observer with Detention Resistance, filmed federal agents escorting the child away from the building. She told KPBS, “This was the first time I saw a child that young. And it was just, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing because I had never watched a child by himself get detained in that manner.”
The Department of Homeland Security defended the decision, stating that the uncle could not establish legal guardianship of the child. A spokesperson said ICE determined the boy was an unaccompanied minor under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act and transferred him to the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The agency said it made the decision “out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the child’s safety.”
San Diego Unified officials disputed the circumstances surrounding the separation, noting that the uncle was listed in school records as the boy’s authorized caregiver. School district leaders and local elected officials sent a letter to federal authorities demanding the child’s release and return to his community. They also called for greater consideration of children’s family relationships, education, and emotional well-being in immigration enforcement decisions.
Immigration advocates condemned the detention, with Wister Gaetan, co-founder of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, saying the child should be attending school rather than being held in federal custody. The case has renewed concerns among Haitian immigrant families following the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and increased immigration enforcement. As of November 8, the boy’s exact location in federal custody had not been publicly confirmed.