Federal government appealing order releasing 5-year-old from immigration custody
The federal government may try to send 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos back to detention.
Updated on: April 1, 2026 / 8:10 PM EDT / CBS News
The Justice Department filed a notice of appeal Wednesday in federal court in Texas, challenging a January ruling that freed the 5-year-old Minnesota resident and his father , Adrian Conejo Arias, from an immigration detention facility. The father and son were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during a crackdown in the Minneapolis area earlier this year, drawing nationwide attention.
The filing, obtained by CBS News, takes the fight to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. If the government succeeds, the two could find themselves back in detention.
"The first time they came for us it was unjust. The second time they came for us is unjust. We are not giving into their fear," Adrian Conejo Arias told CBS News through his attorney, Danielle Molliver. He also sent a message of gratitude to people around the world who have advocated on their behalf, saying, "Thank you to all those who continue to support and love us."
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CBS News that the father and son "received full due process and were issued a final order of removal on February 19."