A federal judge in the United States has issued a temporary order preventing the removal of a five-year-old boy from Ecuador and his father following their recent arrest in Minnesota. The case has stirred debate over immigration policies during the Trump administration.
The judge, Fred Biery, ruled on Monday to halt any actions to transfer or deport Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, while their legal proceedings continue. A petition for their release was submitted over the weekend as immigrant families protested outside the detention facility in Dilley, Texas, where the father and son are held.
A photo of the young boy, dressed in a tuque and carrying a Spider-Man backpack, went viral on social media, eliciting strong reactions from the public. Representative Joaquin Castro described him as a symbol of the flaws in the immigration and detention systems.
Castro, along with fellow Texas Democratic representative Jasmine Crockett, announced plans to visit the father and son at the Dilley Detention Center. The family’s lawyer did not respond to requests for comments on the judge’s decision.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the father was apprehended in Minnesota, where he allegedly entered the U.S. illegally in December 2024. However, the family’s attorney stated that the father had a pending asylum claim that allowed him to remain in the country.
The immigration status of the boy, Liam Ramos, remains uncertain, raising questions about potential deportation for him and his parents. The situation continues to spark controversy and calls for reform in the immigration enforcement system.