ICE Detains Mother and Children, Including 5-Year-Old, in Soldotna

Lawyer says family has no criminal record and was taken into custody despite having a U.S. citizen spouse.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have taken a mother and her three children, including a 5-year-old, into custody in Soldotna, Alaska. The family's attorney, Lara Nations, says the mother, Sonia Espinoza Arriaga, is married to a U.S. citizen and the family has no criminal record. Nations has filed a petition with the federal court asking for the family not to be sent to a detention center outside of Alaska.

Why it matters

This incident has sparked outrage among local faith leaders, who are concerned about the detention of children by ICE. It raises questions about the agency's priorities and the treatment of immigrant families, even those with legal status through a U.S. citizen spouse.

The details

According to Nations, Espinoza Arriaga and her three children, ages 18, 16, and 5, were arrested by ICE officers on February 17, 2026. The family had come to the U.S. in 2023. Nations said the 18-year-old was held overnight at the Anchorage jail, while the mother and two younger children were held in a hotel room with federal agents. The family is likely to be transferred to a detention center where children and adults are held.

  • On February 17, 2026, ICE officers took Sonia Espinoza Arriaga and her three children into custody in Soldotna, Alaska.

The players

Sonia Espinoza Arriaga

A mother from Mexico who was taken into custody by ICE along with her three children, including a 5-year-old.

Alexander Sanchez Ramos

Espinoza Arriaga's husband, who is a U.S. citizen.

Lara Nations

The immigration attorney representing Espinoza Arriaga and her family.

Rev. Michael Burke

A pastor at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Anchorage who spoke out in support of the family.

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What they’re saying

“There is a moral crisis in America, where we detain and arrest families and small children.”

— Rev. Michael Burke, Pastor, St. Mary's Episcopal Church (adn.com)

“To our knowledge this is the very first instance in which children have been taken into ICE custody in the great state of Alaska.”

— Rev. Michael Burke, Pastor, St. Mary's Episcopal Church (adn.com)

What’s next

Nations has filed a habeas corpus petition in the U.S. District Court of Alaska, raising concerns over the legality of the family's detention and the conditions of their custody. The federal government has not yet responded to the petition.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the continued controversy over ICE's enforcement tactics, particularly when it comes to detaining immigrant families and children. It raises questions about the agency's priorities and the treatment of those without criminal records, even if they have legal status through a U.S. citizen spouse.