A 5-year-old boy and his father must be released by Tuesday from the Texas center where they’ve been held after being detained by immigration officers in Minnesota, a federal judge ordered Saturday in a ruling that harshly criticized the Trump administration’s approach to enforcement.
Images of Liam Conejo Ramos, wearing a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack, being surrounded by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers sparked even more outcry about the administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
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Protesters yell at a Texas state trooper outside the South Texas Family Residential Center detention facility where Liam Ramos and his father are being detained in Dilley, Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
A canister of pepper spray launched by Texas troopers flies towards protesters outside the South Texas Family Residential Center detention facility where Liam Ramos and his father are being detained in Dilley, Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
An order to release 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father from detention, which included a picture of the boy and Bible verse references under the signature of U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, is photographed Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Sydney Schaefer)
An order to release 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father from detention, which included a picture of the boy and Bible verse references under the signature of U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, is photographed Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Sydney Schaefer)
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, who sits in San Antonio and was appointed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton, said in his ruling that “the case has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children.”
Biery had previously ruled that the boy and his father could not be removed from the U.S., at least for now.
Liam and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, who is originally from Ecuador, were detained in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights on Jan. 20. They were taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas.
Neighbors and school officials say that federal immigration officers used the preschooler as “bait” by telling him to knock on the door to his house so that his mother would answer. The Department of Homeland Security has called that description of events an “abject lie.” It said the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway.
The government says Arias entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in December 2024. The family’s lawyer says he has a pending asylum claim that allows him to remain in the country.
Their detention led to a protest at the Texas family detention center and a visit by two Texas Democratic members of Congress.
In his order Saturday, Biery said: “apparent also is the government's ignorance of an American historical document called the Declaration of Independence,” suggesting the Trump administration's actions echo those that then-author and future President Thomas Jefferson enumerated as grievances against England's King George.
Among them: “He has sent hither Swarms of Officers to harass our People” and “He has excited domestic Insurrection among us.”
Biery included in his ruling a photo of Liam and references to two lines in the Bible: “Jesus said, ’Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these,” and “Jesus wept.”
He's not the only federal judge who has been tough on ICE recently. A Minnesota-based judge with a conservative pedigree described the agency as a serial violator of court orders related to the crackdown.
Stephen Miller, the White House chief of staff for policy, has said there’s a target of 3,000 immigration arrests a day. It’s that figure which the judge seemed to refer to as a “quota.”
Spokespersons from the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
The Law Firm of Jennifer Scarborough, which is representing the boy and his family, said in a statement that it was working “to ensure a safe and timely reunion.”
“We are pleased that the family will now be able to focus on being together and finding some peace after this traumatic ordeal,” they said.
During Wednesday's visit by Texas Reps. Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett, the boy slept in the arms of his father, who said Liam was frequently tired and not eating well at the detention facility that houses about 1,100 people, according to Castro.
Detained families report poor conditions like worms in food, fighting for clean water and poor medical care at the detention center since its reopening last year. In December, a report filed by ICE acknowledged they held about 400 children longer than the recommended limit of 20 days.
Associated Press writer Valerie Gonzalez contributed to this article.
Protesters yell at a Texas state trooper outside the South Texas Family Residential Center detention facility where Liam Ramos and his father are being detained in Dilley, Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
A canister of pepper spray launched by Texas troopers flies towards protesters outside the South Texas Family Residential Center detention facility where Liam Ramos and his father are being detained in Dilley, Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
An order to release 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father from detention, which included a picture of the boy and Bible verse references under the signature of U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, is photographed Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Sydney Schaefer)
An order to release 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father from detention, which included a picture of the boy and Bible verse references under the signature of U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, is photographed Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Sydney Schaefer)
Arsenal and Liverpool rediscovered that winning feeling in the Premier League on Saturday.
Arsenal powered seven points clear at the top of the standings after beating Leeds 4-0. Mikel Arteta's team ended a three-game winless run in style at Elland Road and strengthened its title charge.
Defending champion Liverpool finally secured its first league win of 2026 by 4-1 against Newcastle. Hugo Ekitike scored two and Florian Wirtz was on target again as two of Liverpool's big summer signings delivered at Anfield. Ibrahima Konate, playing his first game since the recent death of his father, sealed the win.
Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus were all on target for Arsenal and Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow added an own goal.
“We really wanted to show how much we wanted it,” Arteta said.
Manchester City and Aston Villa can trim Arsenal's lead back to four points on Sunday.
Chelsea came back from two goals down at home to beat West Ham 3-2 and climb up to fourth, with Enzo Fernandez hitting the winner in the second minute of added time.
Everton left it even later to draw at Brighton 1-1, Beto scoring in the 97th.
Last-placed Wolverhampton lost for the 18th time this season, 2-0 at home to Bournemouth.
Having beaten Leeds 5-0 in August, Arsenal enjoyed another romp against Daniel Farke’s team.
Six points and nine goals could go a long way to helping Arsenal’s title bid, which was wobbling in recent weeks.
“It’s very difficult to (win 4-0 at Leeds), let’s see who is the next team that does it, but we did it in a moment when we needed it," Arteta said.
Against an in-form Leeds that had lost just one of its last 11 in all competitions, the trip to Elland Road was a potential banana skin for the league leader. Especially when forward Bukayo Saka was injured in the warmup and had to be withdrawn shortly before kickoff.
But in his absence Arsenal totally dominated, with Zubimendi heading the visitor in front after 27 minutes and Darlow punching Noni Madueke’s corner into his own net before halftime.
Gyokeres scored for the fourth time in six games in the second half and substitute Gabriel Jesus spun and fired low into the bottom corner late on.
Konate was in tears on the field after scoring in added time.
The France defender was overcome with emotion on his return to action after the death of his father. The Anfield crowd roared as he wheeled away in celebration and the entire Liverpool team, including goalkeeper Alisson, ran to congratulate him.
“I don’t have words to describe what I feel right now because it was a very difficult moment for me and my family the last two weeks,” Konate told TNT Sports.
It was the center back's first game since Jan. 17, but with Liverpool short on defensive options due to injuries he said he had to make himself available even though coach Arne Slot told him not to rush back.
“It was important for me to come back and to help the team,” Konate said.
Newcastle led through Anthony Gordon, but Ekitike scored twice in two minutes to give Liverpool a halftime lead. The France striker has 15 goals in his debut season in the Premier League.
Wirtz scored his sixth goal in 10 games after the break before Konate’s late strike.
Chelsea trailed 2-0 at halftime to a West Ham fighting for survival, and the decision by coach Liam Rosenior to make seven changes to his lineup looked like a costly one.
But after going behind at Stamford Bridge to goals from Jarred Bowen and Crysencio Summerville, Rosenior acted decisively — making three halftime substitutions — and it paid off.
Joao Pedro and Marc Cucurella came off the bench and scored to level the game by the 70th. After West Ham's Jean-Clair Todibo missed in front of the goal, Chelsea took all three points when Fernandez swept in the winner from inside the box.
“The reaction of the team in the second half tells me that we’ve got something really, really special here if I can utilize the squad in the correct way,” Rosenior said.
The dramatic finish sparked a mass confrontation between the players and Todibo was sent off for violent conduct.
The result left West Ham five points from safety.
For the second time this week Everton fought back to salvage a point. After Monday’s 1-1 draw with Leeds, the Merseyside club left it late to equalize at Brighton, which led through Pascal Gross.
Beto went in as a substitute only in the 89th and produced the crucial goal deep in added time.
It's back-to-back losses for Wolves after a mini resurgence in recent weeks.
Goals from Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott secured victory for Bournemouth at Molineux Stadium.
Wolves have long looked destined for relegation but had shown signs of rallying under new coach Rob Edwards after five games without defeat. Successive losses to Man City and Bournemouth, however, leave the team 17 points adrift of safety, having played a game more than its rivals.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch, left, Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate and Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, right, celebrate after scoring their side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Newcastle in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.(AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Newcastle in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.(AP Photo/Jon Super)
Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and West Ham United in London, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Everton's Harrison Armstrong, left, and Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Everton in Brighton, England, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and AFC Bournemouth in Wolverhampton, England, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (Jacob King/PA via AP)
Leeds' Joe Rodon, left, and Arsenal's Declan Rice challenge for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Leeds United and Arsenal in Leeds, England, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta gives instructions to his players during the English Premier League soccer match between Leeds United and Arsenal in Leeds, England, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres, right, celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the game with team-mate Jurrien Timber during the English Premier League soccer match between Leeds United and Arsenal in Leeds, England, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka stands on the pitch during warmup before the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal in Nottingham, England, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
