Judge orders pause on removal of 5-year-old boy detained in Minnesota

Courts halt removal while case proceeds

A federal judge issued a temporary order Monday barring the removal or transfer of a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy, identified as Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who were detained last week in Minnesota, according to The Associated Press. U.S. Judge Fred Biery ruled that any removal or transfer is on hold while a court case proceeds.

The order followed the filing of a petition seeking release on Saturday. The case has drawn protests outside the family detention facility where the father and son are held in Dilley, Texas, near San Antonio, with dozens of immigrant families protesting behind fences.

A widely shared photo draws lawmakers and advocates

A photo of the boy wearing a beanie and a Spiderman backpack circulated widely on social media, spurring strong reactions. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro said in a Facebook video that the boy has become emblematic of what he called “the monstrosity of the ICE system and the detention system,” and he said it was “inhumane to be keeping young kids like that in that place.”

Castro said he and fellow Texas Democrat U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett would visit the father and son on Wednesday at the Dilley Detention Center. Advocates cited by the AP said conditions inside the center include constant illness and insufficient medical access.

Custody in Minnesota sparks competing versions

The boy and his father were taken into custody last week outside their home in Minnesota, AP reported. Neighbors and school officials described the incident as federal immigration officers using the preschooler as “bait” by telling him to knock on the door to his house so that his mother would answer.

The Department of Homeland Security disputed that account, calling it an “abject lie.” The department said the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway.

AP reported that the boy’s attorney, Jennifer Scarborough, did not immediately respond to phone or email messages seeking comment. The Department of Homeland Security, in a response sent to AP, reiterated its version of events and insisted it did not arrest or target the child, while not addressing the judge’s court order.

Asylum claim and case timeline in immigration court

Federal officials have said the father is in the U.S. illegally, AP reported. Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, said the man entered the country in December 2024, AP said.

The family’s attorney told AP that the father has a pending asylum claim that would allow him to stay in the country. An online court summary cited by AP shows the case was filed on Dec. 17, 2024, and assigned to the immigration court inside the Dilley detention center.

AP also reported that the child’s immigration status may be a critical factor, and it is unclear whether the 5-year-old was legally in the United States. It said if he was not legally in the country, he may be subject to deportation with one or both parents.