A federal judge has intervened to halt the deportation of a five-year-old boy and his father following a contentious immigration arrest that has reignited discussions on Donald Trump’s border policies in the United States.
Judge Fred Biery issued a temporary order on Monday preventing any efforts to deport or move Liam Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old child, and his father Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias while their legal case progresses.
The father and son are currently detained at a family detention facility in Dilley, Texas, after being apprehended last week outside their residence in Minnesota, a raid that has faced widespread condemnation. Allegations suggest that immigration agents used the young boy as a lure, reportedly instructing him to knock on the door to prompt his mother to open it.
The Department of Homeland Security has vehemently refuted these claims, labeling them as false. Officials assert that Mr. Arias fled on foot, leaving his son in a running vehicle in the driveway.
Efforts to contact the family’s attorney, Jennifer Scarborough, and representatives from the Department of Homeland Security regarding the court ruling have not yielded immediate responses.
Federal authorities maintain that Mr. Arias was residing in the U.S. unlawfully, although specific details have not been disclosed. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller stated that the father entered the country without proper documentation in December 2024.
The family’s legal representative indicated that Mr. Arias has a pending asylum application that could potentially grant him legal status in the country.