MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal authorities have denied attempting to expedite an end to asylum claims by the family of a 5-year-old boy who was detained with his father during the immigration crackdown that has shaken the Minneapolis area. Images of Liam Conejo Ramos wearing a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack surrounded by immigration officers stirred outrage over the crackdown. Danielle Molliver, a lawyer for the boy and his father, told the New York Times that the government was attempting to speed up the deportation proceedings, calling the actions 'extraordinary' and possibly 'retaliatory.' The government denied that. 'These are regular removal proceedings. They are not in expedited removal,' Department of Homeland Security official Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement, adding 'there is nothing retaliatory about enforcing the nation’s immigration laws.' The boy and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, who originally is from Ecuador, were detained in a Minneapolis suburb on Jan. 20. They were taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas. They were released following a judge’s order and returned to Minnesota on Feb. 1. Neighbors and school officials have accused federal immigration officers of using the preschooler as 'bait' by telling him to knock on the door to his house so that his mother would come outside. DHS has called that description of events an 'abject lie.' It said the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway. The government said the boy’s father entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in December 2024. The family’s lawyer noted that he has an asylum claim pending that allows him to stay in the U.S.
Federal Authorities Deny Expediting Asylum Process for Detained Child
Federal Authorities Deny Expediting Asylum Process for Detained Child
U.S. government officials have refuted claims that they are hastening the deportation of a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father as controversies surrounding immigration crackdowns grow.
Federal authorities have denied allegations of expedited deportation proceedings for 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were detained during an immigration enforcement action in Minneapolis. The boy’s lawyer described the government's actions as extraordinary and potentially retaliatory. In contrast, officials from the Department of Homeland Security stated that these are routine removal proceedings, dismissing any claims of retaliation. The family, originally from Ecuador, faced a dramatic detention scenario, stirring public outrage and discussions on immigration policies.
