MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An immigration judge has turned down the asylum claim of Liam Conejo Ramos, a 5-year-old boy who was widely publicized after being photographed wearing a bunny hat and carrying a Spider-Man backpack during his detention with his father amid an immigration crackdown earlier this year. According to the family’s lawyer, Judge John Burns ordered their deportation back to Ecuador.
Liam and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, were arrested in a Minneapolis suburb on January 20 and held for ten days in a detention center in Texas before being released following a judicial order. The family's legal team is currently appealing the judge's decision, expressing deep disappointment. We’re just gravely disappointed in the judge’s misguided decision, said attorney Danielle Molliver, who emphasized their commitment to fighting the appeal despite potential delays. We will fight this the best that we can. An appeal may take years to move through the courts, though there are expectations for accelerated proceedings from the government.
Liam has returned to his school, but both he and his father are reportedly distressed following their detention experience.
The crackdown that led to their detention has also been marked by a significant police presence in the area, drawing protests and resulting in tragic incidents, including the deaths of two American citizens involved in interactions with federal officers during these enforcement actions.
Controversies surrounding the case continue to unfold, with neighbors and school officials accusing immigration officers of using Liam as bait to lure his mother outside, a claim vehemently denied by the Department of Homeland Security. The situation highlights serious concerns regarding immigration enforcement tactics and the treatment of asylum seekers in the U.S.
The family states that Adrian Conejo Arias entered the U.S. legally seeking asylum, contrary to government claims that he entered illegally and must be deported to Ecuador.
