Homeland Security Secretary counters Texas candidate's claim of ICE kidnapping child
Homeland Security Secretary disputed Texas Senate candidate James Talarico’s allegation that ICE abducted a 5-year-old boy, noting the child was deported with his father at the father’s request.
Texas Democratic Senate hopeful James Talarico accused ICE of kidnapping 5-year-old Liam Tadeo while the child was traveling to a soccer match with his father, Victor Martinez Nieto. Talarico argued the boy should have begun kindergarten instead of being taken to a detention facility far from home. Homeland Security Secretary rebutted the claim, stating that both father and son were deported together after the father requested removal.
ICE policies, according to the secretary, allow parents to either accompany their children or assign a trusted adult to care for them. The father and son were detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center prior to their departure. The family’s attorney has not responded to inquiries, and one outlet sought comment. The case highlights ongoing political disputes over immigration enforcement.
Why it matters
The dispute illustrates how immigration enforcement actions become flashpoints in political debates over family separation policies.
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