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Ecuadorian siblings, 19 and 20, detained by ICE along with minor US citizen friend while driving

Jan 2026·Location: Minneapolis, MN

Country of origin: Ecuador

Diana, 20, and her brother William, 19, are Minnesota residents from Ecuador who had applied for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, a legal protection for youth who have faced abuse, neglect, or abandonment. William was driving Diana and a friend who is a minor US citizen when all three were detained by ICE. The government did not argue that Diana or William had any criminal history. A federal judge found no legal basis for their detention and ordered their release.

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