U.S. Court Orders Release of Father and 5-Year-Old Son Detained in Minnesota ICE Operation
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A U.S. federal judge has ordered the release of a father and his five-year-old son who were detained during a recent immigration enforcement operation in the state of Minnesota, sharply criticizing the federal government’s approach to immigration enforcement.
The ruling came on Saturday from U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, who authorized the immediate release of Adrián Conejo Arias and his son Liam Conejo Ramos, both Ecuadorian nationals. The pair were taken into custody earlier this month during an operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Minneapolis metropolitan area.
According to the Columbia Heights Public School District, immigration officials detained four students during the operation, including Liam, who is enrolled in the district. An image of the child standing outside his home in a blue winter hat while surrounded by federal agents quickly spread across social media, drawing widespread public attention and concern.
In his three-page order, Judge Biery delivered strong criticism of the federal government’s enforcement practices, questioning the use of administrative warrants issued by immigration authorities rather than judicial warrants approved by a judge. He emphasized that arrests should be based on a determination of probable cause by an independent court.
The judge compared the enforcement tactics to abuses condemned in the U.S. Declaration of Independence, stating that the deployment of heavily armed officers against civilians echoed actions once attributed to oppressive rule. He also described the use of administrative warrants as fundamentally flawed, warning that such practices undermine constitutional protections.
Legal counsel for the family said the father and son had lawfully entered the United States as asylum seekers and were later transferred to a family detention facility in Texas following their arrest. Despite requests for comment, neither the U.S. Department of Homeland Security nor the family’s attorney responded immediately after the ruling.
Earlier, Gina Steinvick, superintendent of the Columbia Heights Public School District, confirmed that armed and masked officers detained Liam along with two other students aged 10 and 17 during the operation.
The case has intensified debate over immigration enforcement methods involving children and families, particularly as federal agencies continue expanded operations across several U.S. states.
