A federal judge has intervened to prevent the removal of a five-year-old boy and his father following a contentious immigration arrest in the United States that has reignited discussions on border policies associated with Donald Trump.
US Judge Fred Biery issued a temporary order on Monday halting any efforts to deport or transfer Liam Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old child, and his father Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias while their legal case progresses through the judicial system. The duo is presently held at a family detention center in Dilley, Texas.
The pair was apprehended last week near their residence in Minnesota in an operation that has garnered significant disapproval. According to neighbors and school personnel, immigration officials allegedly used the young boy as “bait,” instructing him to knock on the front door to prompt his mother to open it.
The Department of Homeland Security has vehemently refuted this narrative, labeling it a “complete fabrication.” Officials asserted that Mr. Arias fled on foot, abandoning his son in a running vehicle in the driveway.
Efforts to contact the family’s attorney, Jennifer Scarborough, and representatives from the Department of Homeland Security regarding the court ruling were unsuccessful.
Federal authorities claim that Mr. Arias was residing in the US unlawfully, although they have not disclosed specific details. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller stated that the father entered the country without proper documentation in December 2024.
The family’s legal representative has indicated that Mr. Arias has a pending asylum application that could potentially grant him lawful stay in the country.