Liam Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old boy, has been released from an immigrant detention center in Texas and returned to Minnesota with his father, Adrian Conejo Arias. The release followed a judge’s ruling and has ignited discussions around immigration policies and the treatment of children in custody.
Liam and his father were detained on January 20, 2024, in a suburb of Minneapolis. They were subsequently transferred to the Dilley Detention Center in Texas. The family’s legal status had come under scrutiny, with allegations emerging about the circumstances surrounding their detention. According to their attorney, the family is in the United States legally while pursuing an asylum claim and has consistently attended their court hearings.
On Sunday morning, January 28, 2024, Rep. Ilhan Omar shared a photo of the reunited family at the airport, celebrating their return. Rep. Joaquin Castro, who assisted in their release, expressed gratitude to those who advocated for their freedom. He personally escorted Liam and his father back to Minnesota after picking them up from the detention center.
The case has drawn significant public attention, particularly after images surfaced showing Liam in ICE custody, wearing a blue bunny hat and a Spider-Man backpack. Critics have decried the treatment of the young boy and questioned the tactics used by ICE agents during the arrest. Allegations surfaced that agents attempted to use Liam as “bait,” bringing him to the family’s home to knock on the door while pursuing his father.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) firmly refuted these claims. DHS stated that during the incident, the father allegedly attempted to flee from officers, leaving the child behind. They further asserted that ICE agents had tried to return Liam to his mother, but she declined to take custody. Ultimately, it was reported that the father chose to keep his child with him in custody.
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, who ordered the release, criticized the government’s approach to immigration enforcement, suggesting it prioritizes deportation quotas over the well-being of vulnerable individuals, particularly children. He remarked, “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.”
The release of Liam Ramos and his father has sparked renewed conversations about immigration reform and the treatment of families within the detention system. As the family adjusts to their return to Minnesota, advocates continue to call for changes that prioritize the welfare of children in immigration proceedings.
