A federal judge has ordered the release of a 5-year-old boy and his father after their detention by immigration authorities in Minnesota prompted widespread public reaction and international attention. On Saturday, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issued a sharply worded order directing the administration of former President Donald Trump to release Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrián Alexander Conejo Arias, by Tuesday.
Liam and his father were taken into custody on Jan. 20 as they were returning home from the child’s preschool. Following their arrest, both were transferred and held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas. The circumstances surrounding the detention drew significant attention after a photograph of Liam wearing a blue hat and backpack while being taken into custody circulated widely online, intensifying criticism of the enforcement action.
In his court order, Judge Biery strongly condemned the decision to detain the young child, using unusually severe language to describe what he viewed as an abuse of power. “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,” Biery wrote. “And the rule of law be damned.” Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment following the ruling.
Attorneys representing Liam and his father welcomed the judge’s decision, saying they were grateful for the court’s swift action. “We are now working closely with our clients and their family to ensure a safe and timely reunion,” the legal team said in a statement. “We are pleased that the family will now be able to focus on being together and finding some peace after this traumatic ordeal.”
According to Zena Stenvik, superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools, immigration authorities confronted the family outside their home as they returned from the child’s preschool. A school board member who witnessed the arrest said she heard an adult inside the home pleading with agents to leave the child alone. The scene unfolded in front of family members, adding to the distress surrounding the arrest.
Liam’s mother, Erika Ramos, said she watched the events from inside the house, fearful of being arrested herself. She said her husband repeatedly urged her not to go outside because of concerns that she, too, would be detained. According to Ramos, when immigration officers noticed her at the window, they removed Liam from their vehicle and brought him to the front door. “They used my boy as bait,” she said. “Even so, my husband desperately insisted that I not go out, especially because we have another child and I am pregnant.”
The Department of Homeland Security has denied that the child was used as bait, offering a different account of the incident. In a statement released Friday, DHS said Liam’s father ran off without his son in an attempt to evade arrest. “For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias,” the agency said. Erika Ramos strongly disputed that version of events, saying her husband never abandoned their son. “I repeat, at no point did my husband do what they’re saying, abandon my son,” she said. “No, at no point did he do that.”
Liam was one of four minors apprehended by immigration authorities in Minnesota last week, according to officials from Twin Cities school districts. The arrests are part of a broader immigration enforcement effort known as Operation Metro Surge, which has been carried out in Minneapolis under the Trump administration. Since December, DHS has deployed approximately 3,000 immigration agents to the state and reported more than 3,000 apprehensions of undocumented immigrants.
The enforcement actions have also been accompanied by additional controversy. In recent weeks, the killings of U.S. citizens Renee Good, 37, and Alex Pretti, 37, by federal immigration authorities have sparked daily protests and further public outcry, contributing to heightened scrutiny of the ongoing operation and its consequences.
Judge Orders Release of Detained Minnesota Preschooler
The federal court’s order requiring the release of Liam Conejo Ramos and his father marks a significant development in a case that drew national and international attention. With their release mandated by the court, the family is now preparing for reunification as broader debate continues over immigration enforcement practices and their impact on families and children.
