5-year-old boy and father released from ICE detention in Texas

Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, are back in Minnesota after a federal judge ordered their release from an immigration detention center in Texas, ending a case that sparked national outrage and drew sharp criticism of federal immigration enforcement tactics.

Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro posted on social media that he picked up the father and son from the Texas facility Saturday night and accompanied them back to Minnesota early Sunday. Castro wrote, “Five-year-old Liam and his dad Adrian were released from Dilley detention center. I picked them up last night and escorted them back to Minnesota this morning.  Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack. Thank you to everyone who demanded freedom for Liam. We won’t stop until all children and families are home.”  A spokesperson for Castro said the pair arrived home safely, reuniting Liam with his mother and younger brother.

Castro also shared a handwritten letter he gave the child during their flight back, telling Liam that he had “moved the world.” In the letter, Castro wrote, “Your family, school and many strangers said prayers for you and offered whatever they could do to see you back home. Don’t let anyone tell you this isn’t your home. America became the most powerful, prosperous nation on earth because of immigrants not in spite of them.” Minnesota Democrats also welcomed the family home, with Rep. Ilhan Omar posting a photo with Liam, his father and Castro, writing, “Welcome home Liam,” alongside two heart emojis.

Liam and his father — an asylum seeker from Ecuador — were taken into custody on Jan. 20 in a Minneapolis suburb shortly after returning home from the boy’s preschool. They were later transferred to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas, despite having an active asylum case and no deportation order. Images of Liam wearing a blue bunny hat and carrying a Spider-Man backpack while surrounded by immigration officers quickly went viral, fueling protests and drawing condemnation from elected officials and advocates across the country. During a visit to the detention center, Castro said Liam was struggling emotionally and physically.

The Department of Homeland Security disputed claims that Liam was targeted, saying ICE conducted a “targeted operation” to arrest his father. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the child was not arrested and accused Conejo Arias of fleeing and leaving his son behind. She also said officers attempted to place Liam with his “alleged mother,” who she claimed refused custody, and stated that Conejo Arias requested his son remain with him. McLaughlin said in a statement, “The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system, and will continue to fight for the arrest, detention, and removal of aliens who have no right to be in this country.”

In a court order granting their release, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery sharply rebuked the federal government, writing, “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. Observing human behavior confirms that for some among us, the perfidious lust for unbridled power and the imposition of cruelty in its quest know no bounds and are bereft of human decency, and the rule of law be damned.” While Judge Biery acknowledged the family could still face removal in the future, he said any outcome should come “through a more orderly and humane policy than currently in place.”

Conejo Arias told ABC News during the flight home to Minnesota that “I’m happy to finally be going home,” adding that Liam was also excited to reunite with his family. He described conditions inside the Texas facility as poor and said his son became ill, and was denied medication. He emphasized that his family entered the U.S. legally in 2023 using the CBP One app, attended all required hearings, and posed no flight risk. Conejo Arias said he hopes to remain in the US, explaining that his family fled Ecuador out of fear. “I asked for asylum to be be here for my family, for my children. I’m here because I’m scared of returning to my country.” Conejo Arias’ first immigration court hearing is scheduled for later this month.

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