Rep. Joaquin Castro visited 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father at the ICE family detention center in Dilley, Texas, and demanded the child’s release. Attorneys and Castro reported detainees being kept on lockdown, and an attorney alleged poor conditions inside the facility. The father says he followed U.S. asylum procedures; DHS called him an "illegal alien." A federal judge issued an immediate stay preventing transfer or removal of the father and child while litigation proceeds.
Rep. Joaquin Castro Demands Release of 5-Year-Old Held With Father at Dilley ICE Center Amid Protests and Court Order
A protester stands outside the ICE family detention center in Dilley, Texas, on Wednesday. A 5-year-old Minnesota boy was taken to the facility last week with his father after being detained wearing a Spider-Man backpack and blue bunny hat. - CNN
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro said Wednesday that he visited 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and the boy’s father at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) family detention center in Dilley, Texas, and publicly demanded the child’s release.
Castro’s Visit
Castro, who represents Texas’ 20th Congressional District, posted on X that he met with Liam and his father at the South Texas Family Residential Center and urged officials to release the boy. In a separate video posted to Facebook, Castro said attorneys had told him some detainees were being confined to their rooms and kept on lockdown.
A canister of pepper spray launched by Texas troopers flies toward protesters Wednesday outside the South Texas Family Residential Center detention facility where Liam and his father are being held in Dilley, Texas. - Eric Gay/AP
How They Arrived in Dilley
According to reports, federal agents arrested the father outside the family’s suburban Minneapolis driveway. The father and child were then flown to the Dilley family detention center. The Department of Homeland Security characterized the father as an "illegal alien" from Ecuador and said agents transported the child after the father indicated he wanted the child to remain with him. The family’s attorney disputes that characterization, saying the father followed established asylum procedures and attended scheduled court hearings.
Allegations About Conditions
"It’s worse than people think," attorney Eric Lee said after attempting to visit clients at Dilley. He alleged putrid water, spoiled or contaminated food, and that guards abruptly ended his visit. Lee said he heard children chanting, "Let us out. Let us out."
These are accounts reported by attorneys and visitors; ICE and DHS were contacted for comment in the original reporting.
A protester near the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, on Wednesday holds a sign saying children should be protected and not detained. - Moisés Ávila/AFP/Getty Images
Protests and Tensions Outside the Facility
News crews reported renewed protests at the center after word of the case spread. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the facility entrance with signs and songs, and clashes with state troopers were observed. Video and on-scene reports described troopers in riot gear pushing back protesters, objects being thrown and gas being used at one point. Protesters chanted and sang, including "This Little Light of Mine."
Legal Developments
The father has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the handling of the case. A federal judge issued an immediate stay, ordering that any removal or transfer of petitioners Adrian Conejo Arias and L.C.R., a minor child, be halted until further order of the court. The ruling also barred their transfer outside the judicial district while the litigation is pending.
Agency Responses
In response to questions about the case and the court’s order, DHS reiterated that "ICE did NOT target or arrest a child." CoreCivic, which manages the Dilley center under contract, referred inquiries to DHS. Reporters noted DHS has not publicly provided documentation contradicting the family attorney’s claim that the father followed asylum protocols.
Reporting
CNN reporters Ed Lavandera and Norma Galeana reported from Dilley, Texas; Holly Yan reported and wrote from Atlanta. Alisha Ebrahimji, Toni Odejimi, Caroll Alvarado and Amanda Musa contributed to the reporting.
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