Aaron Zhang – 11th grade
A federal judge has recently made the decision to release five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias. They were held at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Texas, and they were released after their case sparked significant attention and criticism. They have been held at the detection center for more than a week. Immigration agents detained them outside their home in Minneapolis and transferred them thousands of miles away to Texas.
The case enraged many public after an image of Liam wearing a bunny hat and carrying a Spider-Man backpack while surrounded by ICE officers. Immigrant rights unions, lawmakers, and other community members criticized the action of detaining such a young child, arguing that it was unnecessary and harmful. Protesters and advocates called on the federal government to reconsider how immigration enforcement actions affect families and children.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery strongly criticized the government’s handling of the case. He questioned the use of administrative immigration warrants, which do not require prior approval from a judge, and suggested that the arrest and detention raised serious constitutional concerns. His written opinion emphasized the human impact of immigration enforcement and included references meant to underscore the gravity of detaining a young child.
Lawyers and elected officials who visited the detention center reported that Liam was struggling emotionally and physically while in custody. They said he appeared exhausted, had difficulty eating, and frequently asked about his school and his mother. These reports added urgency to legal efforts seeking his release.
The Department of Homeland Security has disputed some claims about how the arrest occurred, including allegations that agents used the child to draw other family members out of their home. Liam and his family are from Ecuador and entered the United States in late 2024 to seek asylum. While their immigration case will continue, the judge’s order ensures that Liam and his father will not remain in detention as those proceedings move forward.
