SAN ANTONIO — A federal judge has directed the U.S. government to free a 5-year-old boy and his father from a Texas detention facility by Tuesday. The pair had been held there following their apprehension by immigration authorities in a Minneapolis suburb last month.
Background of the Detention
Photographs showing Liam Conejo Ramos, dressed in a bunny hat and carrying a Spiderman backpack while encircled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, have intensified public concern over the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement in Minnesota. These images prompted a demonstration outside the family detention center and a visit from two Democratic members of Congress from Texas.
Local residents and school administrators report that immigration officers in Minnesota allegedly instructed the young boy to knock on his home’s door to lure his mother outside. However, the Department of Homeland Security disputes this account, labeling it false and stating that the father escaped on foot, leaving the child alone in a vehicle that was still running in the driveway.
The Judge’s Ruling
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, issued the order on Saturday. He described the situation as originating from a poorly planned and executed government effort to meet daily deportation targets, even at the expense of traumatizing young children.
Biery had earlier determined that Liam and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, could not be deported from the United States at this time. In his latest ruling, the judge remarked on the government’s apparent disregard for the Declaration of Independence, drawing parallels to historical grievances against British rule outlined by Thomas Jefferson.
The decision also incorporates a photograph of Liam and quotes two Bible verses: “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these,’” and “Jesus Wept.”
Immigration Enforcement Targets
White House policy chief Stephen Miller has outlined a goal of 3,000 immigration arrests per day. Judge Biery appeared to reference this as an imposed quota in his criticism of the administration’s approach.
Officials from the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security have not yet responded to inquiries about the ruling.
Conditions at the Facility
On January 28, during a visit by Representatives Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett, Liam rested in his father’s arms. Adrian Conejo Arias noted that his son often appeared fatigued and struggled to eat properly at the center, which currently holds around 1,100 individuals.
Families in detention have described substandard conditions, including insects in meals, competition for potable water, and inadequate medical services since the facility reopened last year. A December reports Immigration and Customs Enforcement admitted that approximately 400 children remained in custody beyond the advised 20-day limit.
