Dec 14, 2024 – Adrian Conejo Arias receives parole at the Brownsville port of entry, allowing him and his son Liam to remain in the U.S. while their asylum claim proceeds[9].

Dec 17, 2024 – The Conejo family files a pending asylum application, asserting they entered legally, complied with all procedures, and pose no flight risk[10].

Jan 20, 2026 – ICE agents seize Adrian Conejo Arias and his five‑year‑old son Liam from their driveway in Columbia Heights, a Minneapolis suburb, and transport them 1,300 miles to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas[10][19].

Jan 22, 2026 – DHS states the operation targets the father, not the child, and claims the father fled, abandoning his son, while ICE posts on X that officers keep the child safe[3][8].

Jan 23, 2026 – Columbia Heights school officials allege ICE officers used Liam as “bait,” instructing him to knock on his door to lure his mother, a claim DHS calls an “abject lie”[7][11].

Jan 23, 2026 – Trump administration officials tell reporters the boy remains with his father at the Dilley facility and that agents cared for him, emphasizing he is not separated[11].

Jan 23, 2026 – Community fundraising surpasses $200,000 to support the family’s release, reflecting national outcry[11].

Jan 24, 2026 – The 2023 “Detained Parents Directive” requires ICE to allow parents to arrange alternate care for children, highlighting legal tension with the Dilley detention[17].

Jan 25, 2026 – Dozens of immigrant families protest outside the Dilley center, chanting “Libertad para los niños” and demanding the release of Liam and his father[16].

Jan 27, 2026 – U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issues a temporary order halting any deportation or transfer of the pair while their case proceeds, citing concerns over child welfare[6].

Jan 27, 2026 – Judge Biery also blocks the removal, describing the raid as “essentially using a 5‑year‑old as bait” and condemning the Trump‑era “daily deportation quotas” as “ill‑conceived”[15][15].

Jan 27, 2026 – Rep. Joaquin Castro calls Liam “emblematic of the monstrosity of the ICE system” and announces a visit to Dilley with Rep. Jasmine Crockett[15].

Jan 27, 2026 – White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller notes the administration’s goal of 3,000 daily immigration arrests, a target the judge calls a “quota”[14].

Jan 27, 2026 – A lawsuit names DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as defendants, seeking relief from removal proceedings[6].

Jan 31, 2026 – Judge Fred Biery orders the immediate release of Liam and his father from Dilley, condemning the “perfidious lust for unbridled power” behind deportation quotas and setting a deadline of Feb 3 for compliance[1][14].

Jan 31, 2026 – The ruling notes the family entered the U.S. in December 2024, filed an asylum claim, and has no criminal record, underscoring the legal basis for release[4].

Jan 31, 2026 – The White House senior policy official Stephen Miller reiterates the 3,000‑arrest target, while the Trump administration signals intent to appeal the release order[14][4].

Feb 1, 2026 – Congressman Joaquin Castro personally escorts Liam and his father back to Minnesota, posting images of the reunion and noting the child’s “very depressed” condition during detention[9][5].

Feb 1, 2026 – Judge Biery’s opinion cites the Declaration of Independence, biblical verses, and Benjamin Franklin to denounce the “ill‑conceived… deportation quotas,” framing the case as a constitutional breach[5].

Feb 1, 2026 – Vice‑President JD Vance defends ICE, saying the agency “had no choice because the father ran,” while Rep. Ilhan Omar thanks Castro for bringing the family home[1].

Feb 2, 2026 – Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announces the government will review options and likely appeal the release, warning that appellate courts may need to resolve the “schism in the law” over immigration detention[4].

Feb 2, 2026 – Governor Tim Walz tweets that “it should not take a court order to get a toddler out of a prison,” echoing calls for systemic reform[4].

Feb 2, 2026 – Adrian Conejo Arias denies abandoning his son, stating he “loves his 5‑year‑old” and that Liam fell ill and was denied medication at the Texas facility[12].

Feb 2, 2026 – Judge Jia Cobb issues a temporary restraining order blocking a new seven‑day notice rule that barred members of Congress from visiting ICE facilities, after 13 lawmakers challenge the policy[12].

Feb 2, 2026 – Senator Amy Klobuchar posts that the child “should be in school and with family—not in detention,” while Rep. Ilhan Omar shares a welcome‑home photo, underscoring bipartisan criticism[13].

Feb 2, 2026 – The family’s asylum case remains pending; Ecuadorian asylum seekers receive approvals in only 12.5 % of cases through September, highlighting the broader challenges they face[13].