A five-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, were released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody on Sunday, following a court order mandating their release. The pair, who are asylum seekers originally from Ecuador, were detained by federal agents earlier in the month in Minnesota and subsequently sent to a detention facility in Texas, according to ABC News.
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery directed government officials on Saturday to release Adrian Alexander Conejo Ramos and his son "as soon as practicable," CBS News reported. Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Department of Homeland Security Secretary, confirmed the release in a statement, emphasizing that "ICE did NOT target or arrest a child." She added that the Trump administration remains committed to restoring the rule of law to the immigration system.
Conejo Arias told ABC News in an exclusive interview as they flew from San Antonio back to Minneapolis, "I'm happy to finally be going home." He also noted that Liam was "very happy to be going back" to see his mother and brother.
The release occurred amidst ongoing debate regarding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE operations. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., stated on Sunday that his caucus would meet to determine how to proceed on funding for DHS, adding that the agency should be "dramatically reformed." Jeffries told ABC News that ICE agents should conduct themselves like other law enforcement agencies, "as opposed to running around -- masked thugs, in many instances unleashing brutality on law-abiding American citizens."
Meanwhile, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., addressed calls for ICE reforms. He also responded to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner's criticism of him during a CNN interview. Fetterman told Fox News host Jacqui Heinrich that Krasner should "lighten up, Francis," referencing the 1981 comedy "Stripes." He added, "A lot of the tough talk coming out of his office, that's just pandering to people." Last week, Krasner reportedly compared ICE agents to Nazis.
In related political news, Democrat Christian Menefee won a Texas U.S. House seat in a special election on Saturday, narrowing the Republican majority in the House, according to the Associated Press. Menefee, the Harris County attorney, defeated Amanda Edwards, a former Houston City Council member. He will replace the late Rep. Sylvester Turner, who died in March 2025.
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