Federal judge orders release of Liam Conejos Ramos, 5, and his father from immigration detention

SAN ANTONIO — A federal judge has ordered the release of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, from an immigration detention facility in South Texas.

U.S. District Judge Fred Biery ruled Saturday that the pair must be freed “as soon as practicable” and no later than Tuesday, Feb. 3, as their immigration case continues through the courts. The judge also barred the government from removing or transferring them while the order is in effect. 

Liam Conejo Ramos, 5, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers after arriving home from preschool, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in a Minneapolis suburb. Picture: Ali Daniels/AP

The boy and his father were taken into custody Jan. 20 in a Minneapolis suburb, drawing national attention and criticism of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after images of Liam in custody circulated widely. They were held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas. 

Biery’s ruling sharply criticized federal immigration enforcement practices, saying they prioritized deportation quotas at the expense of children’s well-being. In his written decision, the judge referenced the Declaration of Independence and biblical passages in denouncing the government’s actions. 

The family has a pending asylum claim. Officials from the Department of Homeland Security have disputed some accounts of how the arrest unfolded, including claims that ICE agents used the child to lure a family member. 

The case has prompted protests and visits from lawmakers, and it has intensified debate over immigration policy and the treatment of families in detention