A U.S. federal judge has ordered the release of Liam Conejo Ramos, 5, and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, from immigration detention in Texas.
Delivering a major legal setback to the government’s handling of a case that ignited national anger over family detentions and the treatment of children during enforcement operations.
The ruling came from U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, who directed that the preschooler and his father be released “as soon as practicable” and no later than Tuesday, while their immigration case continues through the courts.
Liam and his father were taken into custody in a suburban Minneapolis driveway after returning from preschool on January 20, 2026, and were moved roughly 1,300 miles to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, a facility used to detain families.
In a sharply critical opinion, Judge Biery condemned what he portrayed as an enforcement approach driven by deportation quotas that resulted in traumatizing a small child.
He also questioned the legitimacy of administrative warrants used in such operations, arguing they lack independent judicial review.
Reports on the ruling noted the judge included unusual historical and religious references in his written decision, underscoring the gravity of his rebuke.
The case drew intense attention after viral images showed Liam in winter clothing while an agent held his Spider-Man backpack—an image that became a rallying point for protestors and school advocates in Minnesota.
The child is part of the Columbia Heights Public Schools community, where officials said multiple children in the district had been detained during the broader crackdown.
Accounts of the arrest remain disputed. School leaders, including superintendent Zena Stenvik, have alleged Liam was used to pressure family members inside the home—an accusation the government has denied.
A key witness cited in reporting, school board chair Mary Granlund, said she saw a tense scene in which the boy’s mother looked from inside while the father pleaded for the door not to be opened.
Federal officials offered a different account, saying the child’s mother refused to take custody and that agents kept Liam with his father for the boy’s safety.
Marcos Charles, described in reports as a senior ICE enforcement official, said officers did what they could to reunite the child with family and claimed they provided basic care during the incident.
Political leaders quickly weighed in after the court order. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said it should not take a judge’s order to remove a young child from detention.
Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro, who previously visited Liam and his father in Dilley, welcomed the ruling and publicly urged continued scrutiny of child detentions.
The family’s legal team said they are working to ensure a safe and timely reunion following what they characterized as a traumatic ordeal.
Separate reporting identified attorney Jennifer Scarborough among those representing the family in the push for release.
Background details about the family’s immigration path have also become central to the public debate.
According to their lawyer, Marc Prokosch, Liam’s family is from Ecuador and presented themselves to U.S. border authorities in December 2024 to seek asylum, a claim that contrasts with official statements describing the father as unlawfully present.
As Liam Conejo Ramos and Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias prepare for release, the case is expected to remain a flashpoint in the national argument over immigration tactics.
The use of detention for children, and how far enforcement operations can go before courts step in to draw a line.
