Judge grants continuance on asylum proceedings for Liam Ramos and his father
A judge at an asylum hearing on Friday granted the family of 5-year-old Liam Ramos a continuance, allowing them more time to make their case, according to the family's attorney.
Liam Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Ramos, returned home to Minnesota Sunday from the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas after a federal judge temporarily barred federal immigration officials from deporting them.
The Department of Homeland Security moved to end the family's asylum claim, but Friday's decision by the judge gives the family more time.
Superintendent Zena Stenvik of the Columbia Heights Public School District, where Liam Ramos is a student, said the family expressed gratitude for "all the support they have received and asked supporters to keep them in their prayers."
"As educators, we know uncertainty is difficult for students and deeply disruptive to learning and well-being," Stenvik said. "Our concern remains centered on Liam and all children who deserve stability, safety and the opportunity to be in school without fear."
How Liam Ramos and his father were taken, returned
Liam Ramos was taken from Columbia Heights, Minnesota, with his father in January. He had just arrived home from preschool.
School officials say he was used as a bait to knock on the door and ask to be let in, letting officers see if anyone else was home. Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary, disputed that claim, saying in a statement that "ICE did NOT target or arrest a child."
The image of Liam Ramos being detained in his bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack sparked nationwide outrage.
Representatives for the Ramos family says they are from Ecuador and entered the U.S. in 2024 using a now-defunct Biden-era system that allowed asylum seekers to use a phone app to schedule an appointment to be processed at an official border entry. The DHS however said it has no record of the family using the app.
The attached video first aired on Feb. 2, 2026.
