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5-year-old detained by ICE: Where are Liam Conejo Ramos and his father now? Latest update amid outrage
The preschooler and his father were taken into ICE custody on January 20 in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights.
Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota, is currently being held with his father at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, according to CNN. This comes amid public outrage over the detention of children during immigration enforcement operations.
The preschooler and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, were taken into ICE custody on January 20 in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights, shortly after Liam returned home from school. They were flown more than 1,300 miles to Texas and remain in federal custody as of January 23.
Where Liam and his father are being held
According to CNN and Hollywood Life, Liam and his father are detained at the South Texas Family Residential Center, an ICE-run facility that houses families together.
Also Read: ‘Used as bait’: Anger grows over 5-year-old's detention in immigration crackdown
The center includes classrooms, a gym and a library, but immigration advocates have raised concerns about the impact of detention on children who have not been charged with crimes.
The family’s attorney, Marc Prokosch, told CNN that there is no timeline for their release and that the family’s asylum case is still pending.
What ICE and DHS say happened
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the operation was aimed at detaining the father, whom it described as an “illegal alien.” DHS claimed the child was taken into custody after the father “abandoned” him during the arrest and said officers attempted to place Liam with his mother, who did not come outside.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told CNN that officers stayed with the child for safety reasons while the arrest was carried out.
Prokosch disputed DHS’ account, telling CNN the family entered the US legally in December 2024 to seek asylum and has complied with all immigration requirements. “These are not illegal aliens,” he said, adding there is no deportation order.
CNN reported that public records searches and Ecuador’s Interior Ministry show no criminal history for the father.
Also Read: Private guard called 911 in ICE detainee homicide, saying man 'kept going' after suicide attempt
Liam is the fourth child from Columbia Heights Public Schools detained by ICE in recent weeks, the district said. Other cases include minors taken on their way to school or detained with parents.
Vice President JD Vance defended ICE’s actions during a visit to Minneapolis, saying agents could not leave a young child unattended.
As of now, Liam and his father remain detained in Texas, with legal proceedings ongoing and protests continuing in Minnesota.
