A young child and his father who were detained by immigration authorities in Minnesota and later held in Texas have been released after a judge’s intervention. The pair, Liam Conejo Ramos and Adrian Conejo Arias, were initially apprehended in a Minneapolis suburb before being transferred to a detention center in Dilley, Texas.
Following their release, they have returned to Minnesota with the assistance of Democratic Representative Joaquin Castro. Katherine Schneider, a spokesperson for Castro, confirmed their safe return home. Castro personally accompanied them back to Minnesota after picking them up from Dilley.
The images of the young boy, Liam, in a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack, surrounded by immigration officers sparked widespread criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration policies in Minneapolis. Castro expressed his support for Liam in a letter written during their journey back home, emphasizing the outpouring of prayers and support for the boy’s safe return.
In a social media post, photos shared by Castro showed Liam sporting his distinctive blue bunny hat and a Pikachu backpack. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, welcomed Liam’s return, asserting that he belongs in school and with his family, not in detention, and calling for ICE to cease such actions.
The release came after U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, criticized the government’s deportation practices, highlighting the traumatizing effects on children. Neighbors and school officials alleged that federal immigration officers used Liam as a lure to apprehend his mother, a claim disputed by the Department of Homeland Security, which stated that the father eluded authorities on foot, leaving the child in a running vehicle.
Overall, the reunification of Liam and his father marked a significant development in a case that drew attention to the impact of immigration enforcement on families and children.