The U.S government is moving to deport a 5 year old Ecuadorian boy who was detained in Minnesota last month in a case that has drawn national attention and sparked debate over the Biden administration’s immigration enforcement.
The Department of Homeland Security said Friday that it is seeking to remove the child Liam Conejo Ramos from the United States along with his father Adrian Conejo Arias both of whom entered the country legally as asylum applicants.
A lawyer for the boy Danielle Molliver has characterized the move as “extraordinary” and possibly retaliatory saying it goes beyond standard immigration practice. But DHS officials insist the action is part of regular removal proceedings and deny that it represents an expedited deportation specifically aimed at the child.
Liam and his father were originally detained in Minnesota in January and held at a U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Texas. A judge ordered their release at the end of January and they returned to Minnesota.
The case gained widespread attention after images of the child wearing a blue bunny hat and a Spider Man backpack circulated online following his detention becoming a powerful symbol in the broader debate over immigration enforcement.
Critics say pursuing deportation against such a young child highlights deep tensions in U.S. immigration policy particularly amid ongoing protests and controversy over enforcement actions in states like Minnesota. Supporters of strict immigration enforcement argue authorities are simply enforcing the law.
