A federal judge has ordered the release of five-year-old Liam Ramos, ruling that his detention by immigration authorities was unconstitutional and sharply criticizing the federal government’s handling of the case. The decision, issued by Judge Fred Biery, concludes that the child’s confinement and the detention of his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, failed to meet constitutional standards and relied on procedures that did not satisfy requirements for independent judicial review.
The case drew national attention after images circulated of the young boy wearing a blue hat and a small backpack following his detention in Minnesota. The child had been taken into custody while traveling home from school, and authorities subsequently detained his father as well. The circumstances of the arrest and the decision to hold a minor in federal custody prompted widespread concern across legal, political, and community groups.
