When officials like Kristi Noem claim ICE and federal agents are after “dangerous criminals,” you wouldn’t imagine a young, innocent teen as someone who would be labeled dangerous. That said, a 15-year-old boy with autism went to take a bathroom break while helping his mother sell fruit in Houston, Texas. Frighteningly, he never returned and was missing for almost a week. Finally, the family discovered that ICE had secretly snatched the child and taken him to a detention center.
According to FOX 26 Houston, the mom had even called the police to investigate her son’s disappearance, but didn’t learn of his whereabouts until 6 days later. In other words, this would imply that the police didn’t even know what was going on, or they were being told by ICE not to inform the family that the 15-year-old was being detained. Regardless, the fact that no one informed the family of what happened to him is unacceptable. Not to mention, he reportedly functions like a “4-year-old child” due to his autism, per KHOU 11.
ICE allegedly claims the boy is fine, as the family works to get him out of the agents’ hands. Still, it’s terrifying to think that the mother had to worry for days, completely unaware whether her boy had been sleeping, eating, or being properly treated after he was taken away by ICE. Considering how far right conservatives and government officials view immigrants or anyone they deem deportable, it’s unlikely the teenager was treated humanely.
“So, kidnapping children now. Snatching them away from their mothers. This is where we are, this is what we’re doing?” questions a shocked Reddit commenter. “ICE is a monstrous organization. I don’t understand how anyone can support this,” agrees another. “Just in case anyone needed more proof that ICE isn’t ‘going after criminals,'” adds a third. Thousands more shared a similar sentiment with comments and upvotes, pointing out how wrong ICE is for going after disabled youth unable to fend for themselves. And the fact that they grabbed him during a bathroom break in secret rather than in public makes the agents even more shady.
Of course, ICE isn’t just the main problem in this story. A YouTube commenter asks, “Are they illegal aliens, legal immigrants, or USA citizens?” Likewise, far-right supporters and apathetic voters focusing on lesser issues instead of the tragic current events, such as this 15-year-old’s, is what drives ICE and gives the federal government its power.
