A federal judge has ordered the immediate release of a five-year-old U.S. citizen and his father who were detained by immigration agents in Minneapolis and transported to a Texas detention facility, in a case that has intensified debate over immigration enforcement procedures.
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery ruled Saturday that Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, must be released "as soon as practicable" but no later than February 3. The pair arrived back in Minneapolis on Sunday afternoon, accompanied by Representative Joaquin Castro, according to ABC News.
The case has become a flashpoint in the broader national conversation about immigration enforcement under the current administration, raising questions about who gets detained and under what circumstances.
The January 20 Detention
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained the father and son on January 20, shortly after they arrived home from preschool. The family, originally from Ecuador, had been living in Minnesota with a pending asylum case and no deportation order.
The Department of Homeland Security has disputed accounts of the detention. Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary, stated that ICE "did NOT target or arrest a child," claiming Conejo Arias fled on foot when agents arrived.
However, Conejo Arias and school officials offered a different account, describing the father's efforts to alert bystanders and seek help during the encounter.
Judge's Criticism of Enforcement Approach
In his ruling, Judge Biery delivered sharp criticism of the government's handling of the case, stating it "has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas."
The judge's reference to quotas touches on a sensitive point in federal immigration policy. While ICE officials have described enforcement priorities and targets, critics argue that numerical goals can lead to arrests of individuals who pose no public safety threat—including those with pending legal cases.
Conejo Arias told reporters that detention conditions were "not great," alleging his son was denied medication when ill. ICE has not publicly addressed these specific claims.
Broader Enforcement Debate
The case arrives amid heightened tensions between federal immigration authorities and several Democratic-led states and cities. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has previously questioned cooperation with ICE operations that he views as targeting families without criminal backgrounds.
Immigration advocates point to this case as an example of enforcement overreach, particularly given Liam's citizenship status. Conservative voices counter that the father's immigration status justified the detention, and that bringing his son along was a parental choice, not an enforcement decision.
The family's pending asylum case will continue through immigration courts, though their release from detention means they can pursue their case from Minnesota rather than Texas.
As Americans like to say, 'all politics is local'—even in the nation's capital. How immigration enforcement plays out in communities from Minneapolis to the Rio Grande Valley will likely influence both policy debates and November's midterm elections.
