Parents of 5-Year-Old Detained by ICE Report Child's Ongoing Psychological Trauma

Minneapolis — Liam Conejo Ramos, a 5-year-old boy, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on January 20 in Minnesota along with his father, Adrian Conejo Arias. The incident occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement campaign in the Minneapolis area.

Photos and videos of the detention, showing Liam wearing a blue bunny hat and carrying his school backpack, received international media coverage.

The family entered the United States in 2023 with government permission under the CBP One asylum-seekers program, which was discontinued by the Trump administration upon its return to office. ICE stated that the operation targeted Conejo Arias, whom the agency accused of being in the U.S. illegally.

ICE also reported that Conejo Arias attempted to evade arrest and abandoned Liam during the incident. Conejo Arias denied these claims in an interview with CBS News, stating he never abandoned and would never abandon his son.

Liam's mother, Erika Ramos, did not open the door to ICE agents due to concerns that she would also be detained. She considered the care of their other son, 13-year-old Tadeo, who was in school at the time. ICE stated that it attempted to have Ramos take custody of Liam, but she refused.

Liam and his father were held for two weeks at an ICE facility in Texas. A federal judge ordered their release in a ruling that criticized the detention as stemming from government deportation quotas. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that an immigration judge ordered the family's deportation after full due process and urged parents to self-deport with their children.

The Trump administration scaled back Operation Metro Surge following the killings of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE and Border Patrol agents, which prompted bipartisan criticism.

In an exclusive interview with CBS News on Sunday in Minneapolis, Liam's parents reported that the child exhibits signs of psychological trauma, including hypervigilance, isolation, and behavioral changes. Liam now sees a psychologist regularly. He has become more prone to acting out and avoids certain school classes and play with other children.

Upon seeing police officers, he refers to them as ICE.

The family remains at risk of re-detention and deportation. The federal government terminated their asylum case and appealed the federal court order that permitted the release. When asked what scares him most, Liam said 'la inmigración,' referring to federal immigration agents.

Liam's parents expressed concern over the lasting impact on their son. The stakes involve the family's potential separation or removal from the U.S., affecting Liam's access to psychological care and education in Minnesota. Next steps include ongoing legal proceedings in immigration court, where the appeal of the release order will be addressed.