Liam Conejo Ramos worries about ICE taking him again, his parents say
Liam Conejo Ramos, the 5-year-old whose detention by ICE sparked global outrage, constantly worries about being detained again, his parents told CBS News in an exclusive interview.
It's been more than two months since Liam was taken into ICE custody in Minnesota, alongside his father, while wearing a blue bunny hat and his school backpack — a moment captured by photos and videos that reignited America's polarizing debate over immigration enforcement . But his parents, in their first in-person interview, said their son remains deeply scarred by his experiences in ICE detention.
Adrián Conejo Arias, Liam's father, said his son now regularly sees a psychologist.
"As parents, it worries us a lot that he's no longer as he was before and we're worried this could last a long time," Conejo Arias said during an interview in Spanish on Sunday in Minneapolis. "It does worry us that this will not heal quickly."
Liam's mother, Erika Ramos, said he's been exhibiting signs of psychological trauma, including hypervigilance and isolation.
He's more prone to acting up and behaving badly, she said. In school, Ramos added, Liam, once a playful and happy kid, no longer wants to go to certain classes or play with other children.