A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy and his father after they were taken into immigration custody last week in Minnesota.
Father and Son Detained in Texas
Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias and his son, Liam Ramos, are being held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issued an order preventing their deportation while the case is being litigated.
The ruling also bars federal authorities from transferring the pair out of the judicial district where they are currently detained.
Arrest Followed Incident Outside Home
According to the Department of Homeland Security, federal agents attempted to arrest Conejo Arias in Minneapolis when he fled the scene, leaving his son behind as the child was returning home from preschool.
Some ICE officers stayed with the child while others pursued Conejo Arias, who was arrested shortly afterward, DHS said.
Dispute Over Child’s Custody
Democratic lawmakers have alleged the child was “kidnapped” and used as leverage to detain his father. DHS rejected those claims, saying officers tried multiple times to have the boy’s mother take custody, but she refused.
Afterward, authorities said they honored the father’s request that his son remain with him while in custody. DHS confirmed both are being detained together in Texas.
Immigration Status at Issue
DHS said Conejo Arias entered the United States illegally in December 2024 and was later released. The family’s attorney maintains he has a pending asylum claim that allows him to remain in the country while his case is reviewed.
Federal officials also said Conejo Arias was offered voluntary return to Ecuador without immigration penalties but declined the option.
Legal Fight Continues
The temporary order will remain in effect as the court considers the case, keeping the father and son in the United States while legal challenges to their detention and potential deportation proceed.
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