Archive · 24 Jan 2026
ICE Detains 5-Year-Old Boy in Texas
A 5-year-old boy named Liam was taken to a detention center in Texas by ICE.
Kamala Harris said this was wrong because the child should be with his family.
But ICE says they were trying to arrest the boy's dad, and the dad wanted the boy to stay with him.
The boy's family says they came to the US legally to ask for asylum.
ICE says they took care of the boy, gave him food, and played his favorite music.
They also said the boy's dad could choose to leave the US with the boy or find someone safe to take care of him.
Some people are arguing about whether ICE did the right thing.
Kamala Harris criticized ICE for detaining a 5-year-old child, Liam Conejo Ramos, in Texas, calling it outrageous.
ICE stated the operation targeted the child's father, who allegedly abandoned the child during the arrest.
ICE claims they followed the father's wishes, ensured the child's comfort, and provided food and music.
The family's lawyer asserts they entered the US legally and are pursuing asylum, denying they are illegal aliens.
ICE offers parents options for voluntary departure with benefits, including a free flight and $2,600.
- Who
- ICE, Kamala Harris, Tricia McLaughlin, Liam Conejo Ramos, his family, Marc Prokosch, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias
- What
- Controversy over the detention of a 5-year-old child by ICE in Texas
- When
- January 20, 2024
- Where
- Dilley, Texas
- Why
- ICE operation to arrest the child's father, with differing accounts of the child's treatment and custody
- Child's Name
- Liam Conejo Ramos
- Child's Age
- 5 years old
- Location of Detention
- Dilley, Texas
- Date of Operation
- January 20, 2024
- Family's Origin
- Ecuador
- Asylum Application Date
- December 17, 2024
- CBP Home App Benefits
- Free flight, $2,600, legal return opportunity
Sources
Kamala Harris Slams ICE Over Detention of Five-Year-Old Child in Texas
Was 5-year-old Liam Ramos ‘used as bait’? ICE reveals why Minnesota boy was detained
What Trump Officials, Immigration Lawyers Say About ICE Detaining 5-year-old
2-Year-Old Detained By ICE: Trump's Immigration Crackdown Fuels Outrage In Minneapolis
Under fire for detaining a 5-year-old, ICE now takes a 2-year-old into custody in Minneapolis
Facing Backlash Over 5-Year-Old’s Detention, ICE Takes 2-Year-Old Into Custody In Minneapolis
