A five-year-old boy held with his dad at a Texas immigration centre is ill and depressed, say his mum and visiting politicians. The heartbreaking case has sparked outrage over the conditions inside the facility.
Young Boy Sick and Miserable Behind Bars
Liam Conejo Ramos, just five, is detained at the South Texas Family Residential Centre in Dilley near San Antonio with his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias. Liam suffers from stomach pain, vomiting, and fever. His mum, Erika Ramos, who is stuck in Minnesota, blames the centre’s terrible food for her son’s rapid decline.
Lawmakers Shocked by Grim Conditions
Democratic Reps Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett visited the pair on Wednesday. Liam stayed asleep in his dad’s arms for the entire 30-minute meeting, not once waking up. Castro said, “His dad said he hasn’t been himself, sleeping a lot because he’s depressed and sad.”
He revealed Liam constantly asks about his mum and school friends and desperately wants to return to school. Castro shared a touching photo of the boy asleep in his father’s embrace, saying: “I demanded his release and told him how much his family, his school, and our country loves him and is praying for him.”
Harsh Reality: Abuse and Neglect at the Centre
- Liam was snatched from his driveway in Columbia Heights last week as he returned from school. A photo of him in a Spider-Man backpack and winter hat sparked public outrage over ruthless immigration raids.
- Rep Crockett, running for US Senate, claims Liam is one of several children “not receiving any education” at the centre.
- Attorney Eric Lee slammed conditions as “absolutely abysmal.” He revealed guards mix baby formula with contaminated water, food sometimes contains bugs, and staff often verbally abuse detainees.
- One detainee with appendicitis was reportedly told to “take Tylenol and come back in three days” after collapsing in a hallway.
- The centre faces serious federal civil rights abuse allegations in court.
Calls Grow Loud for Liam’s Release
Castro didn’t hold back, demanding Liam’s release and urging President Trump to imagine his grandchildren locked up like these kids. “I’d ask President Trump—who has grandchildren the same age as some kids here—to imagine them behind bars,” he said.
A federal judge has granted a temporary injunction to halt Liam and his father’s deportation while their asylum claim is reviewed. Their lawyer confirms they entered the US legally and are seeking protection.
