MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — In a locale shaken by a recent immigration crackdown, federal authorities are facing backlash after the detainment of a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, originally from Ecuador. The incident, which occurred on January 20, sparked national outrage when images surfaced depicting the young boy in a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack, surrounded by immigration officers.
Danielle Molliver, the family’s attorney, has raised concerns about the government’s potential attempts to expedite their deportation proceedings, calling such actions 'extraordinary' and possibly 'retaliatory.' However, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, denies these allegations, stating, 'These are regular removal proceedings. They are not in expedited removal.'
The family was detained in a suburb of Minneapolis and later transported to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas. They were released following a judge's order, returning to Minnesota on February 1. Neighbors and local school officials accused federal officers of using the child as a ploy by encouraging him to knock on his own door to summon his mother outside, a characterization that DHS dismissed as 'an abject lie.' They clarified that the father fled on foot, leaving the boy alone in their car.
The boy's father is claiming asylum and asserts that his current legal status permits him to remain in the U.S. The situation has brought to light the aggressive tactics of immigration enforcement in communities, highlighting ongoing tensions surrounding the U.S. immigration policy.
Danielle Molliver, the family’s attorney, has raised concerns about the government’s potential attempts to expedite their deportation proceedings, calling such actions 'extraordinary' and possibly 'retaliatory.' However, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, denies these allegations, stating, 'These are regular removal proceedings. They are not in expedited removal.'
The family was detained in a suburb of Minneapolis and later transported to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas. They were released following a judge's order, returning to Minnesota on February 1. Neighbors and local school officials accused federal officers of using the child as a ploy by encouraging him to knock on his own door to summon his mother outside, a characterization that DHS dismissed as 'an abject lie.' They clarified that the father fled on foot, leaving the boy alone in their car.
The boy's father is claiming asylum and asserts that his current legal status permits him to remain in the U.S. The situation has brought to light the aggressive tactics of immigration enforcement in communities, highlighting ongoing tensions surrounding the U.S. immigration policy.
