A federal judge has ordered the release of a 5-year-old boy and his father from a Texas detention center by Tuesday. They were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota. The judge criticized the Trump administration’s enforcement tactics. The boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, captured attention wearing a bunny hat and Spiderman backpack surrounded by ICE officers.
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, condemned the administration’s pursuit of deportation quotas that traumatize children. Previously, Biery ruled that the boy and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, should not be deported from the U.S. Liam and his father, originally from Ecuador, were detained in Minnesota and later transferred to a Texas facility.
Allegations arose that ICE officers in Minnesota used the boy as “bait,” but DHS refuted the claims. Arias entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in December 2024. The family’s lawyer states he has a pending asylum claim. Their detention sparked protests and congressional visits.
In his recent ruling, Biery referenced the Declaration of Independence and criticized the government’s actions. Another judge in Minnesota criticized ICE for violating court orders. The White House aims for 3,000 daily immigration arrests, seen as a “quota” by the judge.
The Law Firm of Jennifer Scarborough, representing the family, aims for a safe reunion. Detained families reported poor conditions at the facility. Reps. Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett visited Liam, highlighting the challenging conditions at the center.
