Judge Orders Release of 5-Year-Old and Father Detained by ICE

Ruling criticizes Trump administration's 'ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented' immigration enforcement tactics.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 7:31am

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A federal judge has ordered the release of a 5-year-old boy and his father from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Texas, criticizing the Trump administration's approach to immigration enforcement. Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, were detained in Minnesota and taken to the Dilley, Texas facility, sparking outrage over the treatment of the child. The judge said the case highlights the government's 'ignorance' of the Declaration of Independence and its 'pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children'.

Why it matters

The case has drawn national attention to the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown and the impact on families, including the use of children as 'bait' to detain undocumented parents. It also reflects growing judicial scrutiny of ICE's practices, with a Minnesota judge previously describing the agency as a 'serial violator' of court orders.

The details

Liam Conejo Ramos, a 5-year-old boy, and his father Adrian Conejo Arias were detained by ICE officers in Minnesota on January 20 and taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas. Neighbors and school officials allege that federal agents used the child as 'bait' to lure his mother to the door. The government denies this, saying the father fled on foot and left the child in a running vehicle. The family's lawyer says Arias has a pending asylum claim that allows him to remain in the country, while the government says he entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in 2024.

  • Liam and his father were detained by ICE on January 20, 2026.
  • A federal judge ordered their release from the Dilley, Texas detention center by Tuesday, February 4, 2026.

The players

Liam Conejo Ramos

A 5-year-old boy who was detained by ICE along with his father in Minnesota.

Adrian Conejo Arias

Liam's father, who is originally from Ecuador and has a pending asylum claim that allows him to remain in the country, according to the family's lawyer.

U.S. District Judge Fred Biery

The federal judge who ordered the release of Liam and his father, criticizing the Trump administration's 'ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented' immigration enforcement tactics.

The Law Firm of Jennifer Scarborough

The law firm representing Liam and his family, working to ensure their safe and timely reunion.

Stephen Miller

The White House chief of staff for policy, who has said there is a target of 3,000 immigration arrests per day, which the judge seemed to refer to as a 'quota'.

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What they’re saying

“apparent also is the government's ignorance of an American historical document called the Declaration of Independence”

— U.S. District Judge Fred Biery

“We are pleased that the family will now be able to focus on being together and finding some peace after this traumatic ordeal”

— The Law Firm of Jennifer Scarborough

What’s next

The judge has ordered Liam and his father to be released from the Dilley, Texas detention center by Tuesday, February 4, 2026.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions over the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement tactics, which have drawn criticism from the courts and advocates over their impact on families and children. It underscores the need for more humane and compassionate approaches to immigration policy.