In brief
In a heated immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, federal authorities have denied claims about hastening the asylum process for a 5-year-old boy and his father, who were detained in January. The boy's lawyer criticized the government for potentially retaliatory actions, while officials insisted that the proceedings were standard and non-expedited. The father, from Ecuador, faces deportation after entering the U.S. illegally, yet holds a pending asylum claim that complicates their situation.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal authorities have denied any attempts to expedite asylum claims for a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, who was detained with his father during an immigration enforcement operation that has stirred significant outrage in the Minneapolis area. Images of the young boy, wearing a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack alongside immigration officers, have drawn public scrutiny towards the recent actions taken by immigration officials.Danielle Molliver, legal representation for the family, accused the government of trying to fast-track deportation proceedings, labeling the tactics as 'extraordinary' and possibly 'retaliatory.' However, Department of Homeland Security official Tricia McLaughlin clarified that the removal proceedings were standard and not expedited, asserting that there is nothing retaliatory about upholding U.S. immigration laws.The situation unfolded when Liam and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, an Ecuadorian national, were detained on January 20. The family was later moved to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas. Following a judge’s order, they were released and returned to Minnesota on February 1.Reactions from neighbors and local school officials have included accusations that federal agents used the young boy as ‘bait’ to lure his mother outside their home. The Department of Homeland Security has dismissed these claims as false, stating that the father had fled on foot, leaving the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway.According to government sources, Adrian Conejo entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in December 2024, while his attorney maintains that he has a pending asylum claim that allows him to stay in the country.
