The Detention of Liam Conejos Ramos, 5 years old
Liam, a 5-year-old boy from Minneapolis, has been in detention at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, TexasTexas since January 20. Liam, along with his father, was seized by ICE agents outside their home in Columbia Heights, Minnesota as they were returning school. He was a pre-K student at Valley View Elementary in Columbia Heights, Minnesota.
Liam asks about his mother, the whereabouts of his spider-man backpack and his blue cap. He wants to know how his classmates are. He wants to know when can he go back to school. A federal judge has temporarily blocked their deportation or transfer out of the district while their case proceeds in immigration court. Note that “the disctrict” means “where he is now held,” not “where he was detained,” i.e., where he lived with his mother and father and where he went to school.
Neighbors disputed the federal account of the detention, saying adults (including family members and community members) offered to care for Liam but were not allowed to do so by agents:
- ICE claims it offered custody of Liam to his mother at the time of the arrest but says she refused to take him.
- School officials, neighbors, and the family lawyer say otherwise: they assert that the mother and other adults were present and that offers to care for Liam were not accepted by ICE.
- Public reporting indicates Liam’s mother has since spoken about her distress and concern over her son’s health while he remains detained with his father.
The Federal Government has repeatedly lied on these matters (cf the Pretti case) . Absent real evidence, their assertions are not to be taken at face value.
Liam now
At the moment Liam is not doing well. This litte boy who was once full of energy, is now listless and spends much of his time sleeping, as you can see in the image above, right. Advocates and lawmakers, including U.S. Representatives Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett, have demanded the family’s release and criticized federal immigration policies that allow children to be held in detention. It is through the intervention of Castro and Crockett that we have the above image. It is through them that we have this deeply disturbing account of Liam’s condition nine days after his detention. Five year-old boys do not spend their daytime hours sleeping as you see above.
Immigration status, court reports
Liam Conejo Ramos is a 5-year-old Ecuadorian with an active asylum claim.
- His father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, is also Ecuadorian with a pending asylum case, and there are no reports of any criminal arrests.
- His mother, Erika Ramos, is not reported to be in ICE custody and there are no public records indicating she has been arrested or has a criminal record.
- The family’s attorney asserts they entered lawfully at a port of entry in 2024 and have been following immigration procedures, while government statements have characterized the father as being in the U.S. illegally — a point contested in ongoing litigation.
Can the Administration be Trusted to Tell the Truth?
Sadly, the answer to this question is NO!! The contrast between the videos of the execution murder death of Alex Pretti is enough to close the case on this matter. So is the Administration’s repeated claims that ICE’s activities are directed against the “worst of the worst.” It is totally contradicted by the account of the previous paragraph. Each day brings a flood of more such contradictions.
Buttom line: our Federal government lies to us shamelessly, routinely, without forethought. It is a tactic straight out of the Authoritarian Playbook.
Legal status
In legal terms, Liam was detained because he was physically present with his father, who is subject to immigration enforcement, and under U.S. immigration law the government has authority to detain children as part of family units in civil enforcement. The detention is not a criminal arrest of the child, but a civil detention tied to removal proceedings and enforcement of immigration law — subject to protections like the Flores Settlement and ongoing judicial review.
There is more to be said, but please see this analysis: Flores Settlement, Application to Liam Conejos Ramos. His psychological condition is extremely concerning.