A federal immigration judge in New York denied the asylum claims of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his family, a lawyer for the Ramos family told Minnesota Public Radio on Wednesday.
Ramos made headlines in January when a photo emerged of the 5-year-old with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer while other officers attempted to detain his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, at their home in Minneapolis.
The picture of Ramos, wearing a blue, rabbit-eared beanie and a Spiderman backpack, struck a nerve nationally.Columbia Heights Public Schools Superintendent Zena Stenvik accused ICE officers of using Liam as “bait,” sparking a major public outcry. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed the child was “abandoned” by Arias.
Liam and his father were transferred to Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas before being released in early January via a judicial order. The federal government filed a motion in February asking to terminate their asylum claim without a hearing.
An immigration judge has granted the government’s motion. Attorneys for the Ramos family have appealed the decision, but if that appeal is unsuccessful the family could be deported to Ecuador.
“While the case is pending before the board, the family can remain in the United States until that appeal is adjudicated,” Ramos family attorney Paschal Nwokocha said in a statement to CBS. “As it is, the challenge we have is that they have not had a chance to actually tell their story to an immigration judge. The judge terminated it without the benefit of them presenting the merits of their case, to the court.”
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told Salon that both Liam and his father received “full due process.”
“The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system, and will continue to fight for the arrest, detention, and removal of illegal aliens who have no right to be in this country,” Bis said.
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The Columbia Heights Public School District called Wednesday’s decision “heartbreaking.”
“We understand that this decision will be appealed and remain hopeful for a positive outcome. Our thoughts are with Liam and his family, and we will continue to advocate for and support Liam and all children,” the school district told CBS.
