Everett, Washington – A 10-year-old boy has been taken into custody โby Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an event local officials are callingโฃ unprecedented. The boy, aโค Brazilian national, was arrestedโฃ Tuesday and transported to an ICE โฃdetention center, leaving his family in anguish and raising concerns about the agency’s practices regarding the detentionโค of minors.The arrest has sparked alarm within the Everett community โand among immigrationโข advocates, who say the case highlights the growing fear among immigrantโ families, even those withโค pending asylum claims.The boy’s mother, who askedโฃ to be identifiedโ only โฃas Berto, says her son is constantly asking about his father, who is also awaiting a decision on their asylum case. “My youngest โฃson keepsโฃ asking about him, if he has called, if I know โคanything. It has โคbeen very challenging,”โฃ she โcommented.
According to Berto,โค she โhas hadโ no direct โcontact with her son since his arrest and is unsure of his well-being. The family’s asylumโ process is still โขpending, โคand the arrest has intensified their โfears. “As our asylum process is still pending, we were already afraid, and now the fear has grown,”โฃ Berto said. “We don’t know if they will come โฃfor us later.”
Everett City Councilwoman Katy Rogers described โthe situation as deeply concerning. โ
The circumstances surrounding the boy’s arrest remain unclear, โbut ICE has confirmed the detention. the agency hasโ not yet released details regarding the legal basis for โthe arrest or the boy’s current location. Berto fears her son and husband could be deported back to Brazil.
“Right now, I just want my son free,” Bertoโข said. โค”We’ll think about the rest later.” The family is now waiting for any news, hoping โฃfor their son’sโ release andโฃ a resolution to their asylum case.