US ICE Agents Detain 5-Year-Old Liam Conejo Ramos, Toddler Used As Bait, Caregiver Refused – People Compare Tragedy To Alan Kurdi

A 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, was taken into federal custody along with his father on Tuesday, in what local officials have described as part of a broader increase in immigration enforcement in Minnesota. School officials confirmed to US media that the family has a pending asylum case and emphasized that there is no order of deportation directing their removal from the United States.

Liam Conejo Ramos Detained After Preschool Pickup

Reports say that the boy was apprehended shortly after arriving home from preschool while his father was in the driveway. According to a statement from Conejo Ramos’ school, “another adult living in the home was outside and begged the agents to let them take care of the small child, but was refused. Instead, the agent took the child out of the still-running vehicle, led him to the door, and directed him to knock – asking to be let in to see if anyone else was home – essentially using a 5-year-old as bait.”

Both the father and child remain in government custody.

Also Read: US, Ukraine, Russia Set For High-Stakes Talks In UAE From Friday, Zelenskyy Signals Possible Breakthrough Ahead

DHS Responds: Liam Conejo Ramos Was “Abandoned”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pushed back against claims that Liam Conejo Ramos was targeted. In a statement, a DHS spokesperson said, “ICE did NOT target a child. The child was ABANDONED.”

The statement added, “on January 20, ICE conducted a targeted operation to arrest Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, an illegal alien from Ecuador who was RELEASED into the US by the Biden administration. As agents approached the driver, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias fled on foot – abandoning his child. For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias.”

The DHS statement also noted, “Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates. This is consistent with past administration’s immigration enforcement.”

Liam Conejo Ramos’ Family Attorney: “They Did Everything Right”

At a press conference Thursday, the family’s attorney, Marc Prokosch, defended the actions of Liam and his father.

“Liam Conejo Ramos and his dad did enter the United States at a port of entry to seek asylum through the CBP One app. They used the app, they made an appointment. They came to the border and presented themselves to Customs and Border Protection. They were just trying to secure safety from persecution for their family from their home country.”

Prokosch further stressed, “These are not illegal aliens. They came properly.”

Liam Conejo Ramos Arrest: A Stark Image Resonates Globally

The images of Liam echo other internationally recognized cases of children caught in immigration crises, such as Alan Kurdi and Elián González.

Alan Kurdi, a two-year-old Syrian boy, drowned in the Mediterranean in 2015 when a boat carrying his family capsized. His lifeless body washed ashore in Turkey, prompting global outrage over the Syrian refugee crisis.

Also Read: Trump Warns Iran Over Protester Hangings: ‘Massive Fleet Heading That Way,’ Tensions Escalate Across Middle East