ICE Detains 2-Year-Old Elvis Tipan Echeverria and Father, Lawyer Reports
On Thursday, a two-year-old girl, identified in court documents as C.R.T.V., was detained by ICE in Minneapolis along with her father, Elvis Tipan-Echeverria. They were later transferred to Texas despite a court order mandating her immediate release, according to the family’s attorney.
Details of the Incident
The detention occurred during a targeted enforcement operation by agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The pair was initially held at the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, a facility that has recently been at the center of tensions following local protests.
On the afternoon of the incident, ICE agents approached the family’s vehicle in their driveway without a warrant. Reports indicate that the father exhibited erratic driving behavior when agents attempted to pull him over. He eventually parked, but refused to comply with the agents’ commands, leading to a confrontation where an agent broke the vehicle’s window.
Reactions and Protests
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as around 120 people gathered to protest the arrest, which included claims of agents using a chemical agent to disperse the crowd. Eyewitnesses reported exchanges between the family and agents, with claims that the child’s mother, present at the scene, was terrified and opted not to take custody of her daughter amid the chaos.
The Court’s Intervention
In the wake of the events, the family’s attorney, Kira Kelley, filed an emergency petition. The court responded by ordering the immediate release of C.R.T.V. to her mother. However, by the time the order was issued, the father and daughter had already been placed on a flight to Texas, raising questions about the adherence to the court’s directive.
- Incident Date: Thursday
- Child’s Name: C.R.T.V.
- Father’s Name: Elvis Tipan-Echeverria
- Location of Detention: Whipple Federal Building, Minneapolis
- Court Order Issued: 8:11 p.m. Thursday
- Flight to Texas: 8:30 p.m. Thursday
Current Status
As of Friday afternoon, C.R.T.V. was returned to Minnesota, while her father remains in custody. The family continues to face legal challenges amid broader concerns regarding ICE’s enforcement actions in Minnesota and throughout the United States, particularly those affecting young children.
The situation has drawn heightened scrutiny and criticism, echoing earlier incidents involving detained children, which have sparked public outcry over immigration policies. The lawyer representing the family noted that C.R.T.V. has lived in the U.S. since birth and has a pending asylum application as citizens of Ecuador.
