Judge Frees Ecuadorian Father and 5‑Year‑Old Son, Returns Them to Minnesota
Updated (29 articles)
Judge Orders Immediate Release and Return to Minnesota U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issued an emergency order on 31 January 2026 demanding that the father‑son pair be freed “as soon as practicable” and no later than 3 February 2026. The order was enforced on 2 February 2026, when Representative Joaquin Castro escorted Adrian Conejo Arias and his son Liam Ramos back to Minnesota after more than a week in the Dilley, Texas, family detention center [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][16][17].
Father and Son Detained After Minneapolis Raid ICE agents seized Adrian Conejo Arias and five‑year‑old Liam from their driveway in Columbia Heights, a Minneapolis suburb, on 20 January 2026. The pair were flown roughly 1,300 miles south to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, a facility built for family cases under the Trump‑era immigration crackdown [2][3][5][7][9][13][15][17].
Asylum Application and Legal Status The family entered the United States legally from Ecuador in December 2024, used the CBP One app, and filed an asylum claim on 17 December 2024. Adrian received parole at the Brownsville port of entry on 14 December 2024, valid through 15 April 2025, and the asylum case remains pending in immigration court [2][3][5][6][9][10][13][16][17].
Disputed Narrative Over Child’s Role DHS officials claim Adrian fled on foot, abandoning Liam in a running vehicle, and assert that ICE did not target the child. School officials, neighbors, and the superintendent allege officers told the boy to knock on his own front door to lure his mother, describing the tactic as using a five‑year‑old as “bait.” DHS labeled the allegation an “abject lie” [1][3][6][9][11][13][16][17].
Political and Public Reaction Protests erupted outside the Dilley center, with pepper‑ball canisters fired by Texas state police on 28 January 2026. Rep. Joaquin Castro, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and other officials condemned the detention and praised the release, while Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the administration would consider appealing the judge’s decision [1][4][5][7][13][14][15][16][17][2].
Judge Criticizes Deportation‑Quota Policy In his opinion, Biery denounced the “ill‑conceived and incompetently‑implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas,” invoking the Declaration of Independence, biblical passages, and Benjamin Franklin’s remarks to underscore the moral breach he perceived in the administration’s enforcement tactics [1][2][7][8][9][11][16].
Sources
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1.
AP: Father of detained 5‑year‑old disputes abandonment claims: Details father’s denial of abandoning Liam, his claim of denied medication, and DHS’s abandonment narrative; notes judge’s release order and political backdrop .
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2.
CNN: Judge Frees 5‑Year‑Old Liam Ramos and Father After Texas Detention: Highlights legal reasoning, asylum filing, and Deputy AG’s intent to appeal .
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3.
AP: Minnesota Boy and Father Freed from Texas ICE Detention: Reports release, officials’ reactions, and asylum‑grant statistics for Ecuadorians .
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4.
BBC: Boy and Father Detained by ICE Return Home After Judge Orders Release: Describes protests, school‑official account of “bait” tactic, and political statements from both parties .
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CNN: 5‑Year‑Old Liam Ramos and Father Released From Texas ICE Detention: Emphasizes Congressman Castro’s escort, DHS/ICE conflicting explanations of mother’s role, and state officials’ praise .
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6.
Newsweek: 5‑Year‑Old Liam Ramos and Father Released After ICE Detention: Focuses on Castro’s personal escort, superintendent’s bait claim, and asylum‑parole timeline .
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7.
King5: Judge Orders Release of 5‑Year‑Old Boy and Father from Texas ICE Facility: Notes judge’s condemnation of quotas, detention‑center condition reports, and congressional protest visit .
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8.
CNN: Judge Orders Release of 5‑Year‑Old Liam Ramos and Father from Texas Detention: Provides order date, fiery judicial language, and DocumentCloud link .
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9.
Newsweek: Judge Orders Release of Ecuadorian Father and 5‑Year‑Old Son Detained by ICE: Details seizure, DHS “abandonment” claim, superintendent’s bait allegation, and Castro’s health observations .
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10.
BBC: Judge Orders Release of Five‑Year‑Old Detained by ICE in Minneapolis: Covers emergency order, viral images, and Trump’s “Operation Metro Surge” context .
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11.
AP: Judge orders release of detained 5‑year‑old and father in Texas: Summarizes order, public outcry, judge’s quota criticism, and White House arrest target .
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12.
King5: Shoreline father deported after ICE arrest leaves toddler alone: Reports separate ICE arrest of a father in Washington, illustrating broader enforcement impact .
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13.
BBC: Protesters clash with Texas officials over detained 5‑year‑old: Describes protest clash, ICE justification, and lawyer’s asylum compliance claim .
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AP: Texas police fire pepper balls at Dilley detention‑center protest: Documents police pepper‑ball deployment during Dilley protest .
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CNN: Rep. Joaquin Castro Visits Dilley Detention Center Over 5‑Year‑Old Boy’s Detention: Highlights Castro’s visit, harsh detention conditions, and protest confrontations .
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16.
AP: Judge Blocks Deportation of Detained Ecuadorian Boy and Father: Reports temporary stay, bait allegation, and political labeling of case as ICE cruelty .
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17.
CNN: Federal Judge Halts Deportation of Minnesota Preschooler and Father: Notes stay order, DHS illegal‑alien label, and family’s lawsuit against senior DHS officials .
Timeline
Dec 2024 – The Conejo family enters the United States at a Texas port of entry, files an asylum claim on Dec 14 (and again on Dec 17) and receives parole valid through April 15 2025, asserting they “did everything right” in complying with all asylum procedures[14][24].
Dec 9 2025 – A court filing reveals the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley houses about 160 families, with detainees reporting mold, worms in food, limited clean water and prolonged stays that breach the 1997 Flores settlement[13].
Dec 25 2025 – Six‑month detention of 16‑year‑old Kevin Moreno in Texas sparks backlash from Connecticut officials, highlighting a broader “largest deportation operation” under the Trump administration[18].
Dec 5 2025 – A Vermont mother and her 7‑year‑old son are turned away at the U.S.–Canada border for a fraudulent green card and are sent to Dilley, Texas, underscoring the center’s role in cross‑border removals[19].
Jan 20 2026 – ICE agents seize Adrian Conejo Arias and his 5‑year‑old son Liam from their Columbia Heights driveway, transport them ≈1,300 miles to the Dilley detention center, and trigger nationwide protests[15][27].
Jan 22 2026 – DHS statements claim the operation targets the father, not the child, while Columbia Heights superintendent Zena Stenvik alleges officers used the boy as “bait” by ordering him to knock on his own door[4][27].
Jan 23 2026 – ICE flies 2‑year‑old C.R.T.V. to Texas despite a court order demanding her release, prompting attorney Irina Vaynerman to accuse the government of “evading federal jurisdiction”[16].
Jan 23 2026 – Trump officials tell reporters the 5‑year‑old Liam “is with his family at an ICE facility” and that agents kept him safe, countering claims of a “bait” tactic[17].
Jan 24 2026 – Detailed reports confirm neighbors heard ICE officers tell Liam to knock on his door to lure his mother, while DHS maintains the father fled on foot and left the child in a running vehicle[26].
Jan 25 2026 – Dozens of immigrant families protest outside the Dilley fence, chanting “Libertad” and decrying “abysmal” conditions such as contaminated food and lack of medical care[25].
Jan 27 2026 – Federal Judge Fred Biery issues a temporary order halting any removal of Liam and his father, describing the case as “the genesis of the ill‑conceived… daily deportation quotas”[9][24].
Jan 28 2026 – Rep. Joaquin Castro visits Dilley, demands the boy’s release, and reports the child appears “very depressed,” while Texas state troopers fire pepper‑ball canisters at protesting demonstrators[8][23].
Jan 29 2026 – Protesters clash with Texas state troopers outside the Dilley center; lawmakers including Castro, Crockett and Casar publicly condemn the detention and call for Liam’s freedom[3].
Jan 31 2026 – Judge Biery orders the immediate release of Liam and his father by Feb 3, condemning the Trump administration’s “daily deportation quotas” and invoking the Declaration of Independence and biblical passages in his opinion[2][22].
Feb 1 2026 – Congressman Castro picks up the family from Dilley and escorts them back to Minneapolis, announcing on social media that the boy is “home” and highlighting the judge’s criticism of “ill‑conceived… deportation quotas”[1][6].
Feb 2 2026 – Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche says the government will review options and “appeal the judge’s decision if necessary,” framing the case as part of a “schism in the law” over immigration detention[5].
Feb 2 2026 – Adrian Conejo Arias tells ABC News he “loves his son and would never leave him,” disputing DHS claims that he abandoned Liam, and alleges the child was denied medication while in Texas detention[20].
Dive deeper (8 sub-stories)
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Judge Frees Ecuadorian Father and 5‑Year‑Old Son, Sparking Dispute Over Abandonment Claims
(19 articles)
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CNN: Judge Orders Release of 5‑Year‑Old Liam Ramos and Father from Texas Detention
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ICE Detains Fathers, Sends Toddlers to Texas, Father Deported to El Paso
(3 articles)
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Texas Troopers Clash with Protesters as Democrats Demand Release of Detained 5‑Year‑Old
(2 articles)
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CNN: Rep. Joaquin Castro Visits Dilley Detention Center Over 5‑Year‑Old Boy’s Detention
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Newsweek: Connecticut teen detained by ICE for six months speaks out after release
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CNN: ICE Detention Facility in Texas Faces New Court Testimony on Poor Conditions
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Newsweek: Vermont Mother and 2nd‑Grade Son Detained at U.S.–Canada Border, Held in Texas on Fraudulent Green Card
All related articles (29 articles)
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AP: Father of detained 5‑year‑old disputes abandonment claims
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CNN: Judge Frees 5‑Year‑Old Liam Ramos and Father After Texas Detention
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AP: Minnesota Boy and Father Freed from Texas ICE Detention
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BBC: Boy and Father Detained by ICE Return Home After Judge Orders Release
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CNN: 5‑Year‑Old Liam Ramos and Father Released From Texas ICE Detention
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Newsweek: 5‑Year‑Old Liam Ramos and Father Released After ICE Detention
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King5 (Seattle, WA): Judge Orders Release of 5‑Year‑Old Boy and Father from Texas ICE Facility
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CNN: Judge Orders Release of 5‑Year‑Old Liam Ramos and Father from Texas Detention
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Newsweek: Judge Orders Release of Ecuadorian Father and 5‑Year‑Old Son Detained by ICE
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BBC: Judge Orders Release of Five‑Year‑Old Detained by ICE in Minneapolis
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AP: Judge orders release of detained 5‑year‑old and father in Texas
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King5 (Seattle, WA): Shoreline father deported after ICE arrest leaves toddler alone
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BBC: Protesters clash with Texas officials over detained 5‑year‑old
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AP: Texas police fire pepper balls at Dilley detention‑center protest
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CNN: Rep. Joaquin Castro Visits Dilley Detention Center Over 5‑Year‑Old Boy’s Detention
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AP: Judge Blocks Deportation of Detained Ecuadorian Boy and Father
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CNN: Federal Judge Halts Deportation of Minnesota Preschooler and Father
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AP: Immigrant families protest Texas detention of Ecuadorian boy and father
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CNN: Toddler Detained by ICE in Minneapolis Flown to Texas, Returned Next Day
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AP: Detention of 5‑Year‑Old Boy and Father Sparks Conflicting Accounts
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Newsweek: ICE Flies 2‑Year‑Old and Father to Texas After Court Order Ignored
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CNN: Minnesota preschooler detained by ICE sparks district-wide concern
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Newsweek: Trump officials say 5-year-old Liam Ramos is with his family at an ICE facility
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CNN: 5-year-old taken by ICE in Minneapolis area held with father at Texas facility
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AP: 5-year-old detained with father in Minnesota immigration raid
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BBC: ICE detains five-year-old and father in Minnesota, lawyer says
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Newsweek: Connecticut teen detained by ICE for six months speaks out after release
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CNN: ICE Detention Facility in Texas Faces New Court Testimony on Poor Conditions
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Newsweek: Vermont Mother and 2nd‑Grade Son Detained at U.S.–Canada Border, Held in Texas on Fraudulent Green Card
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