News
Judge orders immediate freedom of 5-year-old detained by immigration authorities in Minnesota
A federal judge on Saturday ordered the release of a 5-year-old boy whose detention by immigration authorities in Minnesota last week sparked international outcry.
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery said in a scathing court order that the Trump administration must release Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrián Alexander Conejo Arias, by Tuesday.
The father and son were taken into custody by immigration authorities on Jan. 20, as the child was on his way home from preschool. The pair have since been detained at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas.
The case drew widespread outrage after an image of Liam — wearing a blue hat and a backpack as he was being taken into custody by immigration authorities — went viral online.
“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 bounds and are bereft of human decency,” Biery wrote in his order, referring to the boy’s detention. “And the rule of law be damned.”
Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return a request for comment.
The legal team representing Liam and his father said in a statement that they were grateful for the court’s swift decision.
“We are now working closely with our clients and their family to ensure a safe and timely reunion,” they said. “We are pleased that the family will now be able to focus on being together and finding some peace after this traumatic ordeal.”
Luis Conejo, Liam’s uncle and brother to Liam’s father, said in a video message sent to Noticias Telemundo that he feels “great joy knowing they can soon go home” and that Liam will be reunited with his mother.
“We are not close [physically], but well, that will soon come. When they are released, it will be a joy to be reunited,” he added.
Liam and his father were confronted by immigration authorities outside of their home as they were returning from the child’s preschool, according to Zena Stenvik, the superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools.
A school board member who witnessed the father’s arrest said that she heard an adult inside the home pleading with agents to leave the child.
The boy’s mother, Erika Ramos, said she “witnessed the scene from the window and couldn’t do anything. Adrián begged me repeatedly not to go outside because he was afraid they would arrest me too.”
She said that when immigration authorities noticed her at the window, they took Liam out of their vehicle and brought him to the front door.
“They used my boy as bait,” Erika Ramos said. “Even so, my husband desperately insisted that I not go out, especially because we have another child and I am pregnant.”
DHS has repeatedly denied using Ramos as “bait,” saying instead that Liam’s father ran off without him to evade capture.
“For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias,” DHS said in a statement on Friday.
Ramos disputed DHS’ account of the events.
“I repeat, at no point did my husband do what they’re saying, abandon my son,” she said. “No, at no point did he do that.”
Liam was one of four minors apprehended by immigration authorities last week, Twin Cities school district officials said.
Their captures are part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, known as Operation Metro Surge.
Since December, the federal government has sent 3,000 immigration agents to the state and made more than 3,000 apprehensions of undocumented immigrants, according to DHS.
In addition to the child apprehensions, the killings of U.S. citizens Renee Good, 37, and Alex Pretti, 37, by federal immigration authorities have sparked outcry and daily protests
The Federal Government has expressed serious concern over the rising cases of Nigerian citizens being illegally recruited to participate in foreign armed conflicts, warning that such activities pose grave risks to lives and violate both national and international laws.
This was made known in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, who disclosed that the recent media investigations and security reports revealed that several Nigerians were allegedly recruited under false pretences, including promises of lucrative employment, security jobs, educational opportunities, or migration incentives.
Many of the victims were reportedly deployed to active combat zones after being misled or coerced into signing military service contracts.
“Recruitment tactics often involve deceptive offers of high monthly salaries, signing bonuses, and fast-tracked citizenship,” the Ministry noted.
In some cases, victims were compelled to sign contracts written in foreign languages without proper legal guidance, while their travel documents were allegedly confiscated upon arrival. Reports also indicate the involvement of intermediaries who facilitate travel under tourist or other non-military visa categories.
The Nigerian government unequivocally warned citizens against accepting any offer that involves participation in foreign armed conflicts, stressing that such actions endanger lives and may contravene laws regulating mercenary activities and foreign enlistment.
“Individuals who engage in such activities outside approved governmental frameworks do so at their own risk,” the Ministry emphasised.
To curb the trend, the government is working with relevant domestic and international partners to investigate developments and intensify public awareness of the dangers of illegal recruitment.
Nigerian missions abroad have also been directed to strengthen consular vigilance and provide timely advisory services to citizens.
The Ministry further called on parents, guardians, community leaders, and educational institutions to educate young Nigerians about the risks associated with deceptive foreign recruitment schemes. Citizens were advised to verify all overseas employment or study opportunities through official government channels and to report suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities.
The Nigerian government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the welfare and dignity of its citizens at home and abroad, reiterating that citizens must not be exploited or trafficked into foreign armed conflicts under any circumstances.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sympathised with traders and residents of Kano following a devastating fire outbreak at Singer Market, ordering a comprehensive investigation into the recurring incidents.
The fire, which reportedly started on Saturday evening and raged into Sunday morning, causing extensive damage to the popular food market, destroying goods and leaving many traders counting their losses.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the incident as tragic and expressed deep concern over the impact on livelihoods.
President Tinubu said he had reached out to Abba Kabir Yusuf to obtain a firsthand-situation report on the disaster.
“This tragic incident is deeply concerning, especially coming less than two weeks after another fire outbreak at the same market. My thoughts are with the affected traders and their families,” the President was quoted as saying.
He directed relevant authorities to carry out a thorough investigation into the causes of the repeated fires, stressing that urgent measures must be taken to prevent future occurrences.
“The recurring market fires that leave our hardworking traders in despair must be addressed decisively. I have ordered a comprehensive investigation to determine the causes and recommend lasting solutions,” Tinubu stated.
Ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has accused the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) of procuring a highly toxic chemical compound, thallium sulphate, allegedly capable of being used for assassinations.
In a statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, El-Rufai claimed that information available to opposition political leaders suggested that the office of the National Security Adviser, headed by Nuhu Ribadu, had imported approximately 10 kilograms of thallium sulphate from a supplier in Poland.
The former governor said he had formally written to the ONSA seeking urgent clarification over the alleged transaction, describing the matter as one of grave public concern.
Do not enlist in foreign armed conflicts, FG warns citizens
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