5-Year-Old Liam Conejo Ramos and Father Reunited After ICE Detention

The boy and his father, who were held at an ICE facility in Texas, have returned to Minnesota following a judge's order.

Published on Feb. 1, 2026

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Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, who were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE facility in Texas, have been released and returned to Minnesota. The boy and his father, who is originally from Ecuador, were detained on January 20 in a Minneapolis suburb. They were then taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas. After a judge's order, they were released and escorted back to Minnesota by Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro.

Why it matters

The case drew outrage over the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, with images of the young boy surrounded by immigration officers sparking concerns about the impact on children. It also raised questions about ICE's tactics, with allegations that they used the child as "bait" to apprehend his father.

The details

According to officials, the boy's father entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in December 2024 and has an asylum claim pending. The Department of Homeland Security said the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway, denying allegations that they used the child as "bait." In his order granting the release, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery blasted the administration, 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."

  • On January 20, Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were detained in a Minneapolis suburb.
  • They were then taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas.
  • On February 1, 2026, Liam and his father were released following a judge's order and escorted back to Minnesota by Rep. Joaquin Castro.

The players

Liam Conejo Ramos

A 5-year-old boy who was detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE facility in Texas.

Adrian Conejo Arias

Liam's father, who is originally from Ecuador and has an asylum claim pending that allows him to stay in the U.S.

Joaquin Castro

A Texas congressman who picked up Liam and his father from the Dilley, Texas detention facility and escorted them back to Minnesota.

Fred Biery

A U.S. District Judge who granted the release of Liam and his father and criticized the Trump administration's actions.

Tricia McLaughlin

A U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary who said ICE did not target or arrest Liam Conejo Ramos.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Fred Biery, U.S. District Judge (Court order)

“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.”

— Tricia McLaughlin, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary (Statement)

“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.”

— Joaquin Castro, Texas Congressman (Letter to Liam)

What’s next

The judge's order granting the release of Liam and his father has raised further questions about ICE's tactics and the Trump administration's immigration policies. Officials in Minnesota are calling for ICE agents to be removed from the state after a second person was fatally shot in Minneapolis.

The takeaway

This case highlights the human impact of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement, with a young child caught in the middle of a political and legal battle. It underscores the need for more humane and compassionate policies that prioritize the wellbeing of families and children.