ICE detained Minnesota teen, lost him in Michigan shelter for over a week
Feb 22, 2026·Location: Minneapolis, MN
Country of origin: Ecuador

In early January 2026, 16-year-old Sebastian, an asylum-seeker from Ecuador, was detained by ICE agents in north Minneapolis. He was misclassified as an unaccompanied minor and transported to a Christian youth shelter in Michigan operated by Bethany Christian Services instead of standard immigration detention. Federal authorities lost track of his whereabouts for over a week while his family searched for him. His father and attorney conducted investigative work to locate him and secured his release through legal action.
Timeline
Sources
- How a teenage asylum seeker detained by ICE in Minnesota ended up in Michigan
mprnews.org·Feb 23, 2026·archived copy
- ICE detained a Minnesota teen, labeled him an ‘unaccompanied minor,’ and lost him
- A Minnesota teen was detained by ICE and sent to a Christian youth shelter in Michigan. His father fought to get him back.
www2.startribune.com·Feb 22, 2026·archived copy
- Threads
- detroitnews.com
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