5-Year-Old Liam, Father Freed from ICE Detention, Return to Minnesota Amid National Outcry/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were released from ICE detention in Texas after a judge’s order. Their detention sparked national backlash after photos showed officers detaining the boy in a blue bunny hat. Rep. Joaquin Castro personally escorted them back to Minnesota, where local residents celebrated their return.
Quick Look
- Names: Liam Conejo Ramos (5), Adrian Conejo Arias (father)
- Date of detention: January 20, 2026
- Detained by: ICE in Minnesota, held in Dilley, Texas
- Released: February 1, 2026, after court order
- Photos sparked backlash: Liam seen in bunny hat, Spider-Man backpack
- Community support: Vigils, balloons, celebration upon return
- Congressional support: Rep. Joaquin Castro, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Ilhan Omar
- Judge’s rebuke: Called DHS actions “ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented”
- Ongoing concern: Other families from Columbia Heights still detained
- Father’s status: Asylum claim pending, no future hearings scheduled
Deep Look: 5-Year-Old Liam, Father Freed from ICE Detention, Return to Minnesota Amid National Outcry
Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, returned to Columbia Heights, Minnesota on Sunday after being held in a Texas ICE detention center for nearly two weeks. The pair were detained on January 20 in a Minneapolis suburb and transferred to a facility in Dilley, Texas—a move that ignited a firestorm of criticism and emotional outpouring from the public.
The moment that captured national attention was an image of Liam in a blue bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack, surrounded by immigration officers. The Trump administration faced fierce backlash, with Democratic lawmakers and immigration advocates accusing DHS of using the child as “bait” to arrest his mother—an allegation the agency has called “an abject lie.” DHS claims the father fled and left Liam in a running vehicle, and that Liam’s mother declined to take custody at the scene.
Following growing outrage, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery ordered their release, sharply criticizing the administration’s enforcement actions as “incompetently-implemented” and driven by daily deportation quotas “even if it requires traumatizing children.”
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, confirmed he picked up the father and son from Texas Saturday night and flew with them to Minnesota on Sunday. In a heartfelt letter written mid-flight, Castro told Liam, “Don’t let anyone tell you this isn’t your home.”
The homecoming was met with emotional community support. Residents gathered outside their home with balloons, signs, and songs. Many said they felt personally connected to Liam’s story. Lourdes Sanchez, a cleaning business owner, said: “My son is also named Liam and he’s five. It felt personal.”
Other families, however, remain in detention. Luis Zuna said his wife and daughter—10-year-old Elizabeth—were taken into custody earlier in January and remain at the same Texas facility. Carolina Gutierrez, a school secretary, said Liam’s release gives hope: “It gives us faith.”
Lawmakers echoed the relief. Sen. Amy Klobuchar welcomed Liam back and called for ICE to cease similar detentions. Rep. Ilhan Omar posted a photo holding Liam’s backpack, writing “Welcome home Liam.” Columbia Heights Public Schools also issued a statement supporting Liam and advocating for four other students who remain detained.
Meanwhile, Conejo Arias, originally from Ecuador, has a pending asylum case. The family’s lawyer confirmed there are no upcoming hearings listed. Ecuadorian asylum-seekers face steep odds in court—only 12.5% of claims were granted in the past year, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC).
While the outcome for Liam and his father marks a victory for immigration advocates and the local community, the case spotlights the deep human cost of aggressive federal enforcement policies. With other children still separated from families, activists vow to keep the pressure on.
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