5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, asylum seekers who have been detained by federal brokers final week and despatched to a Texas detention facility, arrived again in Minneapolis on Sunday after a choose ordered the federal government to launch them.
“I am completely satisfied to lastly be going dwelling,” Conejo Arias, who’s initially from Ecuador, instructed ABC Information’ John Quiñones in an unique interview because the pair flew from San Antonio again to Minneapolis.
“Liam may be very completely satisfied to be going again,” Adrian Conejo Arias added. “He’s going to see his mother and his brother once more.”
Requested how he was feeling, Liam instructed ABC Information in Spanish, “Good.”
Unique ABC Information movies present Conejo Arias carrying his son whereas boarding the aircraft dwelling.
Liam Conejo Ramos, 5, and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, board a flight, Feb. 1, 2026, from San Antonio again to their dwelling in Minneapolis after a federal choose ordered that they be launched from a Texas immigration detention facility.
ABC Information
U.S. District Choose Fred Biery had ordered on Saturday that the pair be launched from the immigration detention middle at Dilley “as quickly as practicable” however no later than Feb. 3.
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, who final week shared photos of the boy after his go to to the detention middle, additionally boarded the flight with the daddy and son.
Liam was detained on Jan. 20 by immigration brokers shortly after arriving dwelling from preschool whereas his father was of their driveway, college officers stated final week.
Conejo Arias instructed ABC Information throughout Sunday’s flight dwelling that he had simply returned to their dwelling in Minneapolis from choosing up his son at preschool after they have been detained.
“After we bought dwelling, we parked the automotive and have been about to get out. That’s when a number of brokers emerged [from their vehicles] and detained us,” Conejo Arias stated.
Each have been taken to a federal detention facility in Texas.
Liam Conejo Ramos, 5, is detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers after arriving dwelling from preschool, Jan. 20, 2026, in a Minneapolis suburb.
Ali Daniels by way of AP
They’d a pending asylum case however no order of deportation directing that they be faraway from the US, ABC Information beforehand reported.
Within the order releasing Liam and his father, Biery stated the case “has its genesis within the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented authorities pursuit of day by day deportation quotas, apparently even when it requires traumatizing kids.”
“Observing human conduct confirms that for some amongst us, the perfidious lust for unbridled energy and the imposition of cruelty in its quest know no bounds and are bereft of human decency,” the choose wrote. “And the rule of legislation be damned.”
However in a press release after the choose’s ruling on Saturday, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “The information on this case have NOT modified: ICE did NOT goal or arrest a toddler.”
“On January 20, ICE performed a focused operation to arrest Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias an unlawful alien from Ecuador who was RELEASED into the U.S. by the Biden administration,” McLaughlin stated. “As brokers approached, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias fled on foot — abandoning his little one.”
McLaughlin stated ICE officers remained with Liam whereas different officers apprehended his father. Officers, based on McLaughlin, tried to position Liam along with his “alleged mom” who was inside the home, however she allegedly refused to just accept custody of the kid.
McLaughlin stated Conejo Arias instructed officers he wished his son to stay with him.
The DHS account differs from what the Conejo Arias, his household’s legal professional and faculties officers stated occurred.
Conejo Arias stated stated that when he was detained, he was strolling a couple of toes forward of his so, making an attempt to alert individuals who “would come out who might assist” them.
“I like my son an excessive amount of. I’d by no means abandon him,” Conejo Arias stated.
Officers from Liam’s college’s stated one other grownup dwelling within the dwelling was exterior begging the brokers to permit them to maintain the kid, however the request was denied.
Conejo Aria described the circumstances contained in the Texas detention facility the place they have been held as “not nice.” He stated when his son bought sick within the facility, he was denied remedy.
“We requested for remedy, however we have been instructed they did not have any,” Conejo Arias stated. “The physician stated she did not have any to present us.”
Choose Biery stated that the daddy and son finally could “return to their dwelling nation, involuntarily or by self-deportation,” however added that it needs to be a outcome “via a extra orderly and humane coverage than presently in place.”
However Conejo Arias instructed ABC Information on Sunday that he needs to stay in the US along with his household, saying they fled Ecuador out of worry.
“I requested for asylum to be be right here for my household, for my kids,” Conejo Arias stated. “I am right here as a result of I am frightened of returning to my nation.”
He stated their asylum case is presently within the course of and that he and his household “got here in with all the necessities.” He stated his first court docket listening to is scheduled for later in February.
Conejo Arias stated his message to the federal authorities is to “to not be so unfair with the Latino inhabitants.”
“Many instances, it’s unjust that they arrest individuals who solely come to this nation to work exhausting and assist their households get forward,” Conejo Arias stated. “In my case, we have been additionally arrested unjustly.”
It is a creating story. Please test again for updates.
