A judge has ordered the deportation of a 5-year-old boy and his family after denying their asylum request.
Liam Ramos, his parents Adrian Conejo Arias and Erika Ramos, and his 13-year-old brother were told they must leave the United States after U.S. Immigration Judge John Burns ruled their asylum case was not strong enough.
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The family’s legal representative Danielle Oxendine Molliver has already filed an appeal, which could take months or even years to resolve. The government has until April 28 to respond to the appeal.
If the appeal fails, the family could be deported to Ecuador, per Fox 9.
The case gained national attention earlier this year after photos of Liam wearing a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack being detained by ICE officers went viral, sparking outcry and criticism of the Department of Homeland Security and Minnesota’s immigration crackdown.
He and his father were taken into custody in Minnesota back in January after returning home from preschool, and were held at a detention center in Texas before being released.
Columbia Heights Public Schools released a statement in response, via Fox9:
“The announcement that an immigration judge has ended the asylum claims of the family of Liam Conejo Ramos is heartbreaking. We understand that this decision will be appealed and remain hopeful for a positive outcome. The detention in January of Liam and his father shed light on the harm caused by Operation Metro Surge, during which many children and families have been detained. While we respect the legal process, we cannot ignore the profound human impact—especially on children—of this federal action, which has disrupted the lives of so many of our community members who entered this country through legal means. Our thoughts are with Liam and his family, and we will continue to advocate for and support Liam and all children.”
