Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father are free after a court ordered their release from ICE custody. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery decided they should be let go “as soon as practicable.”
The pair had been detained in Minnesota earlier this month. Representative Joaquin Castro from Texas picked them up and brought them back home, sharing the moment on social media. Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar also welcomed them back and posted a celebratory message online.
Before their release, Liam and his father were held at the Dilley ICE facility in Texas, a center meant for families with young children facing immigration issues. They are originally from Ecuador and entered the U.S. in 2024 through a now-defunct program meant to help asylum-seekers. This program allowed families to make appointments via a phone app called CBP One. However, the Department of Homeland Security claims there’s no record of Liam’s family using the app.
The DHS has labeled Liam’s father an “illegal alien,” claiming he attempted to evade arrest on January 20 and left Liam behind in a vehicle. In a statement to CBS News, DHS emphasized they did not arrest a child.
Disagreement surrounds the DHS’s claims about Liam’s mother. While DHS states that agents tried to have her take Liam, others close to the family argue she stayed away, fearing her own arrest.
This incident sheds light on the complexities of immigration policy in the U.S., especially how families are affected. As of 2021, nearly 2 million immigrants have faced similar detentions, underscoring the need for more humane approaches to immigration enforcement.
The increasing focus on family separations has sparked conversations across social media platforms, with many advocating for reform. Advocates argue that children should not face such disruptions in their lives due to immigration issues.
For more on immigration policy, the American Immigration Council offers detailed reports and analysis.
