Officials deny seeking quick end to asylum claims for Minneapolis family of 5-year-old

Federal authorities say they are not trying to expedite deportation proceedings for the family.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Federal authorities have denied attempting to expedite an end to asylum claims by the family of a 5-year-old boy who was detained with his father during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. The boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, were detained in a Minneapolis suburb on January 20 and taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas. They were later released and returned to Minnesota on February 1.

Why it matters

The detention of the 5-year-old boy has sparked outrage over the immigration crackdown in the Minneapolis area, with neighbors and school officials accusing federal immigration officers of using the child as "bait" to lure his mother out of their home. The government has denied this characterization of events.

The details

The government has stated that the boy's father, Adrian Conejo Arias, entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in December 2024 and has an asylum claim pending that allows him to stay in the country. The family's lawyer, Danielle Molliver, had claimed that the government was attempting to speed up the deportation proceedings, calling the actions 'extraordinary' and possibly 'retaliatory.' However, the Department of Homeland Security has denied this, stating that the proceedings are 'regular removal proceedings' and 'there is nothing retaliatory about enforcing the nation's immigration laws.'

  • Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were detained on January 20, 2026 in a Minneapolis suburb.
  • Liam and his father were taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas.
  • Liam and his father were released and returned to Minnesota on February 1, 2026.

The players

Liam Conejo Ramos

A 5-year-old boy who was detained with his father during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Adrian Conejo Arias

Liam's father, who is originally from Ecuador and entered the U.S. illegally in December 2024. He has an asylum claim pending that allows him to stay in the country.

Danielle Molliver

The lawyer for Liam and his father.

Tricia McLaughlin

A Department of Homeland Security official who denied that the government was attempting to expedite the deportation proceedings.

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What they’re saying

“These are regular removal proceedings. They are not in expedited removal. There is nothing retaliatory about enforcing the nation's immigration laws.”

— Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security official (mynorthwest.com)

“The government was attempting to speed up the deportation proceedings, calling the actions 'extraordinary' and possibly 'retaliatory.'”

— Danielle Molliver, Lawyer for Liam and his father (New York Times)

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions and controversies surrounding immigration enforcement, with accusations of heavy-handed tactics and concerns about the treatment of children. The government's denial of any expedited or retaliatory actions suggests a desire to maintain that the proceedings are routine, even as the detention of the 5-year-old boy has sparked outrage in the community.