What Happened to the 5-Year-Old Liam Detained by ICE – Full Details

A boy removed from his driveway is now detained with his father, missing school, struggling to eat, and asking about belongings ICE took from him and never returned.

Ever since five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was ripped from his daily routine and thrust into a harsh new reality, he has been staying in a detention center in South Texas, more than 1,300 miles away from his Minnesota home.

The operation was carried out under the Trump administration's renewed enforcement measures, leaving families fractured and communities reeling. Liam is now living the emotional fallout, separated from his school, stripped of his belongings, and unable to understand why he can't go home.

Congressman Offers a Glimpse Into Liam's Condition

During a recent visit to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, Congressman Joaquin Castro found Liam asleep in his father's arms. He delivered a sobering update via FaceTime to Jason Kuhlman, principal of Liam's school, and CBS News correspondent Lilia Luciano.

Castro reported that the child had become noticeably withdrawn and distressed.

"He wasn't in any kind of emergency," Castro said, "but his dad did say that he's been depressed, and hasn't been eating especially well, you know, and has just been asking about when they're going to get out and everything."

The congressman said he assured Liam's father that the boy's classmates miss him and that his spot at school remains untouched, waiting for his return. He added, "[Liam's] been asking about his classmates and wants to get back to them, to be with them soon."

Favorite Backpack and Rabbit-Eared Hat Still Missing

Even more devastating, Liam has been asking repeatedly about personal items that ICE agents reportedly never returned to him — his school backpack and his beloved rabbit-eared hat.

"He keeps asking about his backpack and his cap that they took," Castro said. "I guess ICE didn't give him back that backpack and his hat that he was wearing."

The cap is a quirky and cherished part of his daily outfit. Kuhlman recalled how the boy often wore it as he arrived at school each morning and again when he left at the end of the day, the bunny-ears flopping behind him as he walked the school halls. "That's Liam. His hat is Liam," he said.

Explaining more about Liam's personality, Kuhlman stated, "He's a normal five-year-old. I mean, five-year-olds are crazy kids. He has a personality, you know. Like I said, you've seen the rabbit hat."

Viral Image of the Child in Custody Sparks Outcry from School Principal

For Liam's principal, the moment became heartbreakingly real when he saw a now-viral image of the boy cradled in his father's arms while in detention.

The emotional damage of the boy's arrest, however, extends beyond one child. Kuhlman said he worries not only about how Liam will recover but also about how this event has affected all the students.

"I worry. I truly worry about this and what... how's that going to change when he comes back? For my student body? They've been greatly impacted," he shared.

Addressing critics who see ICE actions as simple law enforcement, Kuhlman was blunt.

"Open your eyes. Believe your eyes. Believe what you see. Don't believe the rhetoric," he said. "Ask if you don't know and if you haven't had experience, ask people that have. What's happening is real."

He rejected the notion that every person detained is a criminal.

"We know that the myth out there [is], 'They're all criminals,'" he said. "I haven't seen little Liam rob a store or do anything like that. He's not a criminal."

U.S. Citizens of Color Living in Constant Anxiety

Kuhlman also spoke about the broader atmosphere of fear that has spread throughout the school's community, especially among families of color.

"If you're brown, you're getting pulled over. That's the reality of it. Our families of color, who are U.S. citizens, who have all of the documentation, they're just as scared because they're carrying their passports with them," he stated.

"You're a U.S. citizen. You could be born here, and you have to carry a passport. Why? Why?" he questioned. "Your driver's license should be enough."

Congressional Leaders Call for Immediate Release

Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan issued a public statement on January 30, condemning ICE's treatment of Liam and demanding his immediate release. She confirmed that Liam's family entered the United States legally while seeking asylum.

"Now, Liam is sick and depressed in a detention facility over 1,300 miles from home. DHS must release Liam and his father now," she wrote.

According to Congressman Castro, he and Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett have both directly appealed to ICE officials to release the boy and his father. The lawmakers pledged to keep the pressure on.

The events that led to Liam's current situation began earlier this month, prompting concern among those who witnessed what happened that day.

As we previously reported, Liam was detained on January 20, 2026, by ICE agents outside his home in Columbia Heights. The child was reportedly removed from a running car in the family's driveway.

Ramos and his father, identified by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, were later transferred to an ICE facility in Texas, where they remain in custody.

Since the detention, school officials have publicly addressed the situation.

School's Response

At a recent press conference, Zena Stenvik, superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools, said at least four students from the district were apprehended by ICE in recent days. That number reportedly included Ramos.

She recalled that masked and armed agents with no identifying badges took the students.

The district initially stayed quiet but chose to speak publicly after witnessing the effect on students and families. Stenvik added:

"The onslaught of ICE activity in our community is inducing trauma, and is taking a toll on our children, taking a toll on our families, our staff, and our community members."

After the arrest, Stenvik visited the family's home and confirmed firsthand that Ramos and his father had the right documents to enter the country.

Others who were nearby at the time also described what they saw as the arrest unfolded.

Witness Recalls the Arrest Scene

Mary Granlund, chair of the Columbia Heights Public Schools Board of Education, described a tense moment outside the child's home:

"I was on my way to get my own children from school, and I heard the commotion and saw all of the people. And as I got out of my car, and came around the corner, I heard, 'What are you doing? Don't take the child.'"

She said other adults at the scene tried to intervene. One person from inside the home volunteered to take the boy, while another suggested that since a school official was present, the child could safely be handed over instead of being taken away.

Granlund described seeing the child's mother inside the home, visible through a window. She said the father was outside, urging the mom not to open the door. In her view, there were clear opportunities for the child to be safely handed over to trusted adults at the scene.

Granlund said the incident included a widely shared image in which the boy could be seen at a doorway with an ICE agent "looming over him."

The witness account prompted a response from the family's legal representative.

Attorney Speaks on Behalf of the Family

Attorney Marc Prokosch said Ramos and his father entered the U.S. lawfully in December 2024 through the port of entry in Brownsville, Texas, after scheduling an asylum appointment via the CBP One mobile app.

He added that the family is originally from Ecuador and had presented themselves to border officers to seek asylum. "These are not illegal aliens," Prokosch said. "They came properly. They came legally, and are pursuing a legal pathway."

He confirmed that the family complied fully with government procedures and provided all required information.

"So, they did everything right," Prokosch said. "When they came in, they used the app, they made an appointment, they came to the border, and presented themselves to Customs and Border Patrol."

However, Prokosch declined to discuss details of the asylum request, stating it was confidential. Meanwhile, a well-known national figure weighed in on the case.

Former VP Joins Public Outcry

In a widely circulated post on X, former Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized that Ramos is a young child who should be with his family rather than held in a Texas detention center.

She expressed outrage over the situation and urged the public to be equally concerned.

The federal agency followed up with its own explanation.

DHS Defends the Operation

On X, the DHS explained that the January 20 operation was aimed at arresting Arias. According to officials, he ran away on foot as ICE agents approached, leaving his child behind. One officer stayed with the child while others arrested the father.

DHS said officers tried several times to get the child's mother to come out of the house and take custody. They told her she would not be detained, but she refused. The father reportedly told officers he wanted the child to stay with him.

The DHS also emphasized: "Our officers primary concern during the entire operation was the safety and welfare of the child. Following the mother's abandonment of the child, officers abided by the father's wishes to keep the child with him. Father and son are together at Dilley."

The DHS statement about the Ramos case came during a time of growing concern over ICE activity in Minnesota, including a recent incident where a woman was killed during an operation.