A federal judge has ordered the release of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father from immigration detention, culminating in their return to Minneapolis amid ongoing debates over enforcement practices. The case highlights tensions between immigration authorities and advocates over the treatment of asylum-seeking families.
Liam and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on January 20 in a Minneapolis suburb. According to school officials, the boy was apprehended shortly after arriving home from preschool, while his father was in their driveway. Both were subsequently transferred to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, a facility used for detaining migrant families.
On January 31, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issued an order for their release, criticizing the government’s actions. In his ruling, Judge Biery stated that the case “has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children.” He ordered that they be released “as soon as practicable” and prohibited any removal or transfer pending further proceedings.
The release was executed, and on February 1, Liam and his father returned to Minnesota. Texas Representative Joaquin Castro played a key role, escorting them from Dilley and back home. In a social media post, Castro welcomed them, emphasizing that immigrants are integral to American society. Photos showed Liam wearing a blue bunny hat and carrying a Spider-Man backpack, symbols of his ordeal.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the arrest, with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stating that ICE did not target the child and that the father abandoned him when agents approached. However, this account conflicts with statements from the family’s attorney and school officials, who allege that officers used Liam as “bait” by having him knock on the door to lure his mother. DHS has denied these allegations, calling them an “abject lie.”
Liam’s father, Adrian, is from Ecuador and entered the U.S. illegally in December 2024, with a pending asylum claim. The family’s lawyer notes that they have no deportation order, allowing them to remain in the country while their case is processed. Asylum approval rates for Ecuadorians are low, around 12.5% in recent data, reflecting broader challenges in immigration courts.
Community reactions in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, were mixed with relief and continued advocacy. Residents gathered to celebrate Liam’s release, while others highlighted similar cases of detained community members. School district officials expressed happiness but called for the release of all children in detention. Political figures, including Senator Amy Klobuchar and Representative Ilhan Omar, welcomed the return and criticized ICE’s tactics.
The case underscores ongoing controversies in U.S. immigration policy, particularly under the Trump administration’s enforcement measures. Moving forward, Liam and his father will continue their asylum proceedings, with advocates hoping for a more humane approach. The judge’s sharp rebuke may influence future cases, but the broader debate over detention practices and family separations persists.
