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Lawmakers Visit 5-Year-Old Boy Held by ICE in Texas
Democratic representatives call for release of Ecuadorian child and his father detained by immigration authorities
Jan. 29, 2026 at 2:15am
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Democratic Reps. Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett visited a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy named Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who are being held at a federal detention center in Dilley, Texas. The lawmakers called for the release of the child and his father, who were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis on January 20th as part of a broader immigration crackdown.
Why it matters
The case of Liam and his father has stirred anger over the Trump administration's immigration policies and given fuel to Democrats and others who are pushing back against ICE's actions, which they say are harming innocent children.
The details
According to the lawmakers, Liam has been sleeping a lot, asking about his mother and classmates, and saying he wants to go back to school. Outside the detention center, Texas state police confronted protesters demonstrating in support of the detainees, using pepper balls against the crowd. The Department of Homeland Security has disputed claims that federal agents used the child as "bait" to apprehend his father, saying the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle.
- Liam and his father were taken into custody by ICE agents on January 20, 2026 in Minneapolis.
- On January 27, 2026, a federal judge issued a temporary order prohibiting the Trump administration from removing the two from the US as their detention is challenged.
The players
Liam Conejo Ramos
A 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy who has been detained at a federal detention center in Dilley, Texas along with his father.
Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias
The father of Liam Conejo Ramos, who was detained along with his son by ICE agents in Minneapolis.
Rep. Joaquin Castro
A Democratic U.S. Representative who visited Liam and his father at the detention center and called for their release.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett
A Democratic U.S. Representative who visited Liam and his father at the detention center and said the children being held are not getting an education.
Department of Homeland Security
The federal agency that disputed claims that ICE agents used Liam as "bait" to apprehend his father.
What they’re saying
“I would ask President Trump, who himself has grandkids who are of the age of some of the kids we met with today, to think of what it would be like for his grandkids to be behind bars.”
— Rep. Joaquin Castro, U.S. Representative
“We are supposed to be better than this.”
— Rep. Jasmine Crockett, U.S. Representative
What’s next
A federal judge has issued a temporary order prohibiting the Trump administration from removing Liam and his father from the US as their detention is challenged.
The takeaway
This case highlights the ongoing debate over the Trump administration's immigration policies and the impact they are having on innocent children, with Democrats and others calling for more humane treatment of immigrant families.
