A 5th-grade girl from Minneapolis was being held by immigration authorities in a Texas detention center, along with her family and two classmates who had been sent with their mother. The school principal, Kuhlman, lost contact with the girl after Trump administration surges of federal immigration officers in early January.
The missing girl’s classmate’s brothers, 7- and 10-year-old boys, recognized her at a Texas detention center cafeteria while waiting to be released on a judge’s order. They told Kuhlman about their classmate after being reunited with their mother.
Kuhlman expressed shock and wondered if many kids were “MIA” due to the surge of immigration agents in Minneapolis and surrounding cities. He likened the disruption to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying it cratered school attendance.
The Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary said that detainees are searchable online and can contact their families by phone, denying reports that children are missing or targeted by ICE. However, Kuhlman expressed concerns about how many kids might be MIA due to detention uncertainty.
Seven children from Columbia Heights Public Schools have been detained since January, including a 5-year-old boy who was released after public outcry. The school district has connected the missing girl’s family with legal representation and is now searching for another silent student.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/02/05/ice-children-detained-texas