Democratic Representatives Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett paid a visit to a five-year-old Ecuadorian boy and his father at a federal detention center in Texas. This visit came shortly after the boy was detained by federal agents in Minneapolis, sparking outrage over the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The representatives met with Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, for approximately 30 minutes at the South Texas Family Residential Center near San Antonio.
During the visit, Castro described Liam, who was pictured wearing a blue winter hat and a Spider-Man backpack while being detained, as a poignant symbol of the flaws within the ICE and detention systems. Liam’s father expressed concerns about his son’s well-being, noting that the child has been sleeping a lot, yearning for his mother, classmates, and expressing a desire to return to school.
Castro, in a news conference following the visit, urged President Trump to consider the emotional impact of detaining young children, drawing attention to the plight of Liam and other detainees. The meeting was part of a broader effort by Democrats to shed light on the consequences of the administration’s immigration policies and enforcement actions.
The detention of Liam and his father in Minneapolis on January 20 as part of a wider operation has spurred significant backlash and protests. Allegations that federal officers used Liam as “bait” by instructing him to knock on his house’s door have been refuted by the Department of Homeland Security. Despite the father’s pending asylum claim, federal officials stated he was in the U.S. unlawfully.
A federal judge issued a temporary order halting the removal of Ramos and Arias as their detention is contested. Following the visit, Castro shared a photo on social media showing Liam in his father’s arms, emphasizing the call for their release.
Crockett, also present during the visit, emphasized that Liam is just one of many children affected by the detention policies. She highlighted the importance of education for these children and criticized the treatment they receive.
Outside the detention center, tensions rose as Texas state police used chemical irritants on protesters supporting the detainees, leading to arrests and clashes. Castro condemned Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s immigration practices, labeling them as “lawless” and likening them to a “bounty hunter organization.”
The visit underscores the ongoing debate over immigration policies and enforcement actions, with Democrats pushing for reforms and accountability within the system.