A five-year-old child who was detained during a US immigration operation in Minnesota has been reunited with his family after a federal judge ordered his release, bringing an end—at least for now—to a case that sparked nationwide outrage and political debate over immigration enforcement practices.
Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, returned to their home in the Minneapolis area on Sunday after spending several days in a detention facility in Texas. Their safe return was confirmed by Joaquin Castro, who personally assisted in escorting the father and son back from Texas. Sharing the update publicly, Castro posted that Liam was finally home again, noting the child had returned with his hat and backpack, a detail that resonated widely on social media.
The case first drew public attention last month after images circulated online showing the young boy standing outside his home while federal agents conducted an operation. The photographs quickly went viral, prompting criticism from civil rights groups, educators, and elected officials who questioned why a preschool-aged child had been caught up in an immigration raid.
Liam and his father were released after a federal judge approved an emergency petition filed by their attorney on Saturday. The judge’s decision allowed them to leave the detention centre in Dilley, Texas, where they had been held following their arrest during the operation.
According to school officials, Liam, an Ecuadorian national, was among several individuals detained during an immigration action in a Minneapolis suburb. They said the boy had just returned home from preschool when agents approached him and asked him to knock on the door of his house. Community members later alleged that requests to allow the child back inside were denied, further fuelling anger over the handling of the situation.
The family’s lawyers maintained that Liam and his father had entered the United States legally as asylum seekers and had complied with all required procedures. They argued that the pair posed no flight risk and should never have been detained in the first place.
Federal authorities offered a different version of events. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the father had fled the scene, leaving the child behind, which they claimed forced officers to take custody of Liam to ensure his safety. US Vice President JD Vance later said agents had limited options under those circumstances.
Those claims were strongly disputed by the family’s attorney, who said the father had not attempted to flee and that the government’s narrative was inaccurate. While Liam and his father remained in custody, protesters gathered outside the detention facility in Texas, and advocacy groups demanded their immediate release.
The Department of Homeland Security initially said the child had not been the intended target of the operation. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin later defended the agency’s actions, describing Liam as having been “abandoned” and claiming that his mother had refused repeated requests to take custody—assertions that were also contested by the family’s legal team.
The episode unfolded amid heightened scrutiny of immigration enforcement in Minnesota, where recent operations have resulted in fatal shootings involving federal agents, further eroding public trust. In two separate incidents in Minneapolis this year, enforcement actions by immigration and border authorities led to the deaths of US citizens, triggering protests and demands for accountability.
US District Judge Fred Biery, who ordered the release of Liam and his father, delivered a sharply worded critique of the government’s conduct. He said the case appeared to reflect a rushed effort to meet deportation targets, even if it meant traumatising children. Biery questioned the reliance on administrative warrants issued internally by immigration authorities, arguing that arrests should instead be based on proper judicial warrants to meet constitutional standards.
The judge, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, stressed that immigration enforcement must adhere to basic principles of fairness and due process, warning that current practices lack sufficient safeguards.
Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar welcomed the family’s return and publicly thanked Joaquin Castro for helping bring them home. Democratic lawmakers have since renewed calls for reforms, including mandatory body cameras for agents, limits on street-level patrols, and restrictions on the use of face coverings during operations.
Concerns have also crossed party lines. Some Republican officials have warned that aggressive federal enforcement can undermine trust between local communities and authorities. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt noted that local leaders are often caught between cooperating with federal agencies and maintaining the confidence of residents.
For now, Liam’s return home has brought relief to his family and supporters, but the case continues to fuel a broader debate over how immigration laws are enforced and the human cost of those actions, particularly when children are involved.
