A five-year-old boy and his father who were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota have returned home, a congressman has said.
Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro, a Democrat, announced on Sunday that Liam Conejo Ramos and his father Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias were released from Dilley detention center in Texas and had travelled back to Minneapolis.
Castro said: Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
The detainment of the pair sparked protests outside the detention facility and led to a national outcry. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) clarified that ICE did NOT target or arrest a child.
Their return home came after US District Judge Fred Biery granted an emergency request from the family's lawyer, condemning their detention as driven by a perfidious lust for unbridled power and criticizing the government's pursuit of daily deportation quotas, which have been described as traumatizing for children.
While the father and son were still in Texas, Castro expressed concerns over the young boy's well-being during his time away from family and home. The DHS indicated that the family entered the U.S. illegally, while their attorney insisted they followed proper protocols for seeking asylum.
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar also welcomed the father's and son's return, expressing gratitude towards Castro for his assistance.
Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the circumstances of their initial detention, with both ICE and school officials providing different accounts. ICE claims the father abandoned his child, while the family maintains they were complying with legal processes for asylum.
This incident highlights ongoing tensions surrounding U.S. immigration policies and their impact on families, particularly young children.
