A federal judge has mandated the immediate release of a five-year-old boy and his Ecuadorian father from a Texas immigration detention center by Tuesday, delivering a sharply worded ruling that condemned the Trump administration’s enforcement tactics. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, appointed by President Bill Clinton, issued the order Saturday following the January 20th detention of Adrian Conejo Arias and his son Liam in Columbia Heights, Minnesota.
The case gained national attention when images circulated showing young Liam—wearing a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack—surrounded by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Judge Biery’s ruling connected the incident to what he termed “the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas,” adding that these efforts proceeded “apparently even if it requires traumatizing children.”
Controversy emerged when neighbors and school officials alleged ICE used the preschooler as “bait” by having him knock on his home’s door to prompt his mother’s appearance—an accusation the Department of Homeland Security vehemently denied as an “abject lie.” The agency maintained that the father had abandoned the child in a running vehicle while fleeing on foot.
The ruling contained extraordinary historical and religious references, with Judge Biery suggesting the administration’s approach mirrored grievances against King George III enumerated in the Declaration of Independence. The decision included biblical quotations and a photograph of Liam, emphasizing the human dimension of immigration enforcement.
This case occurs within broader concerns about detention conditions at the Dilley, Texas facility, where approximately 1,100 individuals are housed. Reports have documented inadequate medical care, struggles for clean water, and even worms in food. An ICE report from December acknowledged holding about 400 children beyond the recommended 20-day limit.
The family’s legal representatives announced they are working toward “a safe and timely reunion” following the traumatic ordeal, which included a visit from Texas Democratic Congress members Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett, who witnessed the child’s exhausted state during their visit.