Trump lawyers aim to deport five-year-old boy after judge ordered his release

Attorneys for the Trump administration are seeking to deport five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, an Ecuadorian boy who was recently detained in Minnesota and held in a Texas detention facility with his father. Liam and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, had legally entered the US as asylum applicants and were released from detention on January 31st. Despite this release, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now pursuing a deportation order, claiming it is standard procedure and not retaliatory. Family lawyers dispute this, suggesting the move is "extraordinary" and potentially retaliatory. Democratic members of Congress Ilhan Omar and Joaquin Castro are advocating for the family, with Castro stating the administration is attempting to break legal precedent and the boy's spirit. The family's lawyers plan to challenge any decisions in immigration court.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is proceeding with deportation proceedings against five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, after their return to Minnesota. DHS denies accusations that this is a retaliatory action, stating it is standard procedure to enforce immigration laws. The case gained national attention after Liam's initial detention on January 20, 2026, which sparked controversy over the tactics used by immigration officials. The incident occurred during Operation Metro Surge, an immigration crackdown in Minnesota that began in December. Both sides dispute the details of the January arrest, with accusations of using the child as bait and abandonment.