A federal judge has intervened to halt the expulsion of a five-year-old boy and his father following a contentious immigration arrest in the United States that reignited discussions about border policies under the administration of Donald Trump.
US Judge Fred Biery issued a temporary order on Monday to prevent any efforts to deport or relocate five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias while their legal case progresses through the judicial system. The duo is currently detained at a family holding facility in Dilley, Texas.
Their apprehension took place last week outside their residence in Minnesota during a raid that has received widespread condemnation. According to neighbors and school officials, immigration authorities allegedly used the young boy as a lure, instructing him to knock on the front door to prompt his mother to open it.
The Department of Homeland Security has strongly refuted this version of events, labeling it a “baseless fabrication.” Officials asserted that Mr. Arias fled on foot, leaving his son in a running vehicle in the driveway.
Efforts to contact the family’s attorney, Jennifer Scarborough, and representatives from the Department of Homeland Security for a response to the court ruling were not immediately successful.
Federal authorities maintain that Mr. Arias was residing in the United States unlawfully, although specific details have not been disclosed. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller indicated that the father illegally entered the country in December 2024 without proper documentation.
The family’s legal counsel has indicated that Mr. Arias has a pending asylum application that could enable him to stay in the country legally.
