Judge Rules on Deportation of 5-Year-Old Liam Ramos and Family After ICE Detention – Details

A judge has ordered the deportation of a 5-year-old boy and his family after their asylum claim was denied. Now, their lawyer is raising urgent concerns about how quickly the case moved through the system.

A 5-year-old boy now faces deportation after a quiet court decision — but one detail behind the ruling is raising serious concern.

The case of Liam Conejo Ramos, once a symbol of immigration enforcement in Minnesota, has taken a decisive turn after a judge ended his family's asylum claim. What happens next may hinge on a fast-moving legal battle.

What Led up to the Decision

As reported by People, an immigration judge ordered the deportation of Liam and his family on February 19, 2026, according to their attorney, Paschal Nwokocha. The decision was disclosed publicly on March 18 after the family shared the update.

Accoridng to MPR News, Liam's family includes his 13-year-old brother, and his parents, Adrian Conejo Arias and Erika Ramos, who is pregnant with their third child.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through spokesperson Lauren Bis, said Liam and his father received full due process and confirmed a final order of removal. The agency also claims his father entered the U.S. illegally in December 2024, a point the family's attorney disputes.

Paschal said the family used a scheduled border appointment through the CBP One app, a Biden-era system designed to manage migrant entry. He explained:

"We know we need to enforce immigration laws of this country, but this is a family that entered the U.S. legally. They didn't run or jump the border. They came into the country legally. They have obeyed all the laws as it applies to them, and the government seems to be in a rush to get them out, and we still don't understand why."

The lawyer urged authorities to show compassion, stressing that the family's situation has unfolded in full public view and that they have already endured significant hardship.

The legal team has appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals, asking that the case be returned to immigration court so the family's asylum claim can be fully heard. The process could take months or longer, and if unsuccessful, the family could be deported to Ecuador.

But beyond the ruling, one issue stands out: the pace of the case. "Our concern in this case is the speed at which the government has been moving," Paschal told the news outlet.

The latest development comes after earlier legal efforts signaled the government's push to remove the family, raising new questions about what unfolded behind the scenes.

Family Details and Lingering Impact After Detention

MPR News also reported that the federal government filed a motion in early February seeking to end the Conejo Ramos family's asylum claims, signaling a push to remove them from the United States. Nwokocha said the legal team secured additional time to continue fighting the case in court.

Although Liam returned home on February 1, his family said the experience had a lasting impact on his mental health. But that was only part of what was unfolding at the time.

Release from Detention Marked a Turning Point

In a Facebook post shared by Congressman Joaquin Castro, he revealed that Liam and his father had been released from a detention center in Dilley in late January. He also said he helped escort them back to Minnesota shortly after their release.

The update marked a temporary moment of relief, with Liam returning home and reunited with his belongings after the ordeal. That ruling follows earlier developments that revealed the conditions Liam faced while in detention.

As reported in January 2026, after Liam was ripped from his daily routine and thrust into a harsh new reality, he was staying in a detention center in South Texas, more than 1,300 miles from his Minnesota home.

The operation was carried out under the Trump administration's renewed enforcement measures, leaving families fractured and communities reeling. Liam was left dealing with the emotional fallout, separated from his school, stripped of his belongings, and unable to understand why he could not 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 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.

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

"He wasn't in any kind of emergency," Joaquin 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 repeatedly asked about personal items that ICE agents reportedly never returned to him, including his school backpack and his beloved rabbit-eared hat.

"He keeps asking about his backpack and his cap that they took," Joaquin 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. Jason 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, Jason 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. Jason 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, Jason 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."