Washington DC [US], January 23 (ANI): Former US Vice President Kamala Harris came down sharply against the American Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after a five-year-old child was taken to a detention centre in Texas.

In a post on X, Harris said that the child should be at home with the family and 'not used as bait by ICE and held in a Texas detention center.'

She added, 'I am outraged, and you should be too.'

Responding to Harris, Tricia McLaughlin who is the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security said that ICE did not use the child as a bait and in a post on X said that the ICE operation on January 20 was aimed at arresting the father of the child. As per McLaughlin, the father abandoned the child and ICE made several attempts to get the mother of the child to take the custody. She said that the father told ICE officers of wanting the child to remain with him.

'Our officer's made multiple attempts to get the alleged mother who was inside the house to take custody of her child. Officers even assured her she would NOT be taken her into custody. The alleged mother refused to accept custody of the child. The father told officers he wanted the child to remain with him. During this situation, agitators swarmed the scene and began yelling and blowing horns, scaring the child. 'Our officers primary concern during the entire operation was the safety and welfare of the child. Following the mother's abandonment of the child, officers abided by the father's wishes to keep the child with him and even got the child McDonald's and played his favorite music. Father and son are together at Dilley.'

She further said that parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates.

'This is consistent with past administration's immigration enforcement. Parents can take control of their departure and receive a free flight and $2,600 with the CBP Home app. By using the CBP Home app illegal aliens reserve the chance to come back the right legal way', McLaughlin said on X.

Citing Zena Stenvik, superintendent of the school district in Columbia Heights, CNN reported that the pre-schooler was removed from the family's running car.

As per CNN, the child and the family are originally from Exuador and had presented themselves to the border officers in Texas in December 2024 to apply for asylum, as per the family's lawyer, Marc Prokosch, who made the remarks during a press conference Thursday evening.

'These are not illegal aliens. They came properly. They came legally, and are pursuing a legal pathway', Prokosch said. (ANI)