A judge has shared a scathing statement condemning the heavy-handed approach of ICE after a five-year-old child was detained alongside his father.
Images of the young child, identified as pre-schooler Liam Ramos, wearing a blue hat in the shape of a bunny while being detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers went viral online.
After mass outrage, the Department of Homeland Security released a statement on X (formerly Twitter), revealing that it "did NOT target a child", claiming the boy was instead "abandoned" as ICE agents approached his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, on his driveway in Minnesota.
The DHS said at the time: "ICE did NOT target a child. The child was ABANDONED.
"On January 20, ICE conducted a targeted operation to arrest Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias an illegal alien from Ecuador who was RELEASED into the U.S. by the Biden administration.
"As agents approached the driver Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, fled on foot—abandoning his child. For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias.
"Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates. This is consistent with past administration’s immigration enforcement.
"Parents can take control of their departure and receive a free flight and $2,600 with the CBP Home app. By using the CBP Home app illegal aliens reserve the chance to come back the right legal way."
The heartbreaking image of Liam was released to the BBC by the Columbia Heights Public Schools authority, who confirmed that the bystander image was taken by an unidentified but "known and confirmed community member".
Marc Prokosch, a lawyer representing the family, told a press conference last week that Liam and his father were being held at a detention centre in San Antonio, Texas, and attorneys were trying to contact them.
Prokosch said the boys and his father had entered the US in 2024 from Ecuador, seeking asylum.
He added: "This family was not eluding ICE in any way. They were following all the established protocols."
School officials said an ICE agent had asked Liam, who'd just arrived home from pre-school, to knock on the door to see if anyone else was there.
Another adult living at the home had asked to take the young boy inside but was allegedly refused.
School board member Mary Granlund said she was on the scene and told immigration officials she could take Liam Ramos, but they still chose to detain him instead.
US Vice-President JD Vance, who visited Minnesota last week, said the boy was held by ICE as "the father ran", telling reporters: "What are they [ICE] supposed to do? Are they supposed to let a five-year-old child freeze to death?
"Are they not supposed to arrest an illegal alien in the United States of America?
"If the argument is that you can't arrest people who have violated laws because they have children. . . that doesn't make any sense."
Now, Liam has been released by a judge, who shared his scathing thoughts about the detainment in his summary.
According to documents shared by lawyer Kaivan Shroff, the judge, Fred Biery, wrote in his summary: "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."
He adds: "Civic lesson to the government: Administrative warrants issued by the executive branch to itself do not pass probable cause muster.
"That is called the fox guarding the henhouse. The Constitution requires an independent judicial officer."
Sharing his thoughts, Judge Biery then writes: "Observing human behavior confirms that for some among us, the perfidious lust for unbridled power and the imposition of cruelty in its quest know no bound and are bereft of human decency. And the rule of law be damned."
He then signs off: "With a judicial finger in the Constitutional dike," including the photo of Liam being held by ICE agents below his official signature.
People flooded the comments with praise, writing: "The words piercing as if they were daggers. Amazing," and: "This is a REAL JUDGE!!! Thank God for him!"
Others added: "Love me some eloquence from the bench. Hope Liam and his Dad get home soon. Abolish ICE," and: "Judge just emptied out his clip in legalese."
One follower commented: "Wooowwzzzeeerrs!!! Stunning doesn't even reach the level of rebuke from this judge!! Everyone in America needs to print this out and put it on their fridge! Also print them out and drop them as flyers from planes!!!"