AUSTIN, Texas — U.S. Rep. Greg Casar says federal immigration agents detained a 5-year-old boy in Austin on Thursday while the child was on his way to a soccer game.
Casar identified the boy as Liam and said he is now being held at the Dilley immigration detention facility in South Texas.
“I’m calling for the immediate release of Liam, the immediate release of all these kids, and the immediate closure of the Dilley trailer prison because kids should be playing soccer, living their lives, not being arrested on the streets,” Casar said.
Casar also posted about the incident on social media Thursday, saying the 5-year-old “should be in kindergarten this week” and calling for his release.
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Details surrounding the reported detention remain limited, including what led up to the encounter and whether any of the child’s family members were also detained.
CBS Austin has reached out to Casar’s office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for additional information and confirmation about the circumstances surrounding the detention.
The report comes about a week after Casar warned of what he described as a significant increase in ICE enforcement activity across Austin.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.