Family of Minneapolis Boy Detained by ICE Faces Fast-Track Deportation

The family of 5-year-old Liam Conejos Ramos, who became a symbol of Trump's immigration crackdown, is appealing their accelerated removal.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 1:53am

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The Trump administration is continuing its push to deport Liam Conejos Ramos, the 5-year-old boy whose detention became a defining image of the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Liam and his family, who are from Ecuador, had a pending asylum application when he and his father were taken into custody on Jan. 20 during a sweep in Minneapolis and sent to a family detention center in Texas. After images of Liam, wearing a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack and surrounded by masked federal agents, spread worldwide, he and his father were released from detention. But the Department of Homeland Security pressed forward with its effort to expel the family from the United States.

Why it matters

Liam's case became a symbol of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement policies, which have faced widespread criticism. The government's continued efforts to deport Liam's family, despite the public backlash, highlight the administration's determination to carry out its immigration agenda even in high-profile cases.

The details

Last month, the federal government moved to end the family's asylum case without holding a hearing on the merits of their petition. The maneuver has been increasingly used by the Trump administration to quickly dismiss asylum cases. An immigration court judge ruled for the government, and Liam's family had 30 days to appeal. On Wednesday, the family's lawyers asked the Board of Immigration Appeals, which is an arm of the Justice Department, to send the case back to the immigration court to hear the family's asylum claim.

  • Liam and his father were taken into custody on Jan. 20 during a sweep in Minneapolis and sent to a family detention center in Texas.
  • Liam and his father were released from detention in February.
  • Last month, the federal government moved to end the family's asylum case without holding a hearing.
  • On Wednesday, the family's lawyers asked the Board of Immigration Appeals to send the case back to the immigration court.

The players

Liam Conejos Ramos

A 5-year-old boy from Ecuador who became a symbol of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown after his detention.

Adrian Conejo Arias

Liam's father, who was detained along with Liam and sent to a family detention center in Texas.

Erika Ramos

Liam's mother, who is pregnant.

Paschal Nwokocha

One of the family's lawyers, who is representing them through the Nwokocha & Operana Law Offices in Minneapolis.

Department of Homeland Security

The government agency that is pressing forward with the effort to expel Liam's family from the United States.

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What they’re saying

“Considering all this family has gone through, the trauma and public reaction, it's unbelievable that the government is continuing to traumatize them.”

— Paschal Nwokocha, Lawyer representing Liam's family

“The family remains in shock as to why the government is in a haste to deport them without giving them their day in court.”

— Paschal Nwokocha, Lawyer representing Liam's family

What’s next

The Board of Immigration Appeals will decide whether to send the case back to the immigration court to hear the family's asylum claim.

The takeaway

Liam's case has become a high-profile example of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement policies, which have faced widespread criticism. Despite the public backlash, the government is continuing its efforts to deport Liam's family, raising concerns about due process and the treatment of vulnerable asylum seekers.