MINNEAPOLIS (TNND) — An immigration judge denied the asylum claim of a Minnesota family whose 5-year-old son made headlines earlier this year amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, ordering them deported to Ecuador, according to their attorney.
FILE – This photo provided by Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, shows Adrian Conejo Arias and his son, Liam Conejo Ramos, in San Antonio, Texas, on Jan. 31, 2026, after being released from Dilley detention center. (Courtesy Rep. Joaquin Castro via AP, File)
Liam Ramos drew widespread attention in January after he was seen alongside his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, while Adrian was detained by immigration authorities in a Minneapolis suburb.
The family — which includes Liam, his parents and his teenage brother — had been seeking asylum in the U.S. after arriving from Ecuador in 2024, their legal team said.
An immigration judge rejected that claim and issued an order of removal, the family’s lawyer said.
“We’re just gravely disappointed in the judge’s misguided decision,” Danielle Molliver said, per the Associated Press. “We’re committed to the family and we’ll fight the appeal, obviously, the best that we can.”
The case has drawn national attention, with advocates and Minneapolis officials criticizing the way Liam and his father were detained in January. They were held for about 10 days at a family detention center in Texas before being released under a federal court order.
Government officials have defended the actions, saying immigration enforcement followed standard procedures, while disputing claims that agents targeted the child.
The family’s attorney said they plan to appeal the ruling, a process that could take months or longer and may temporarily delay deportation.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.