Texas Democrats demand 5-year-old’s release from ICE facility in Dilley

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Hundreds packed into Progreso Hall in west San Antonio Wednesday night, as calls for the disbandment of ICE rang through the community rally.

What they’re saying:

Representative Greg Casar could be heard chanting, “Free Liam Ramos, free our children,” in reference to five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was taken into ICE custody alongside his father in Minnesota last week. 

Liam and his father are now being held in an immigrant detention center in Dilley, Texas, southwest of San Antonio. 

On Wednesday, Congressman Joaquin Castro and Representative Jasmine Crockett visited the Dilley Detention Center. Castro shared a picture online in which he could be seen talking to Liam’s father, who held Liam in his arms. 

At Wednesday night’s rally, Castro shared his growing concern for Liam’s wellbeing. 

“I’m worried because the entire time we were with him, he was asleep. His dad says he’s been sleeping most of the day because he’s been depressed, that he’s not eating well, that he misses his mom and his classmates and his school,” Castro said.

Castro claims the problem goes beyond Liam, and that hundreds of other people are being mistreated at the Dilley Detention Center. 

“We met people who had not gotten their medicine on time, kids who had lost weight because they hadn’t been eating the food, people who are depressed dealing with the trauma of Dilley,” he said.

While there, Castro made it clear to immigration officials he intends to get Liam released. 

“I told those ICE officers that it’s not only me demanding his release, it’s America demanding the release of Liam Ramos,” Castro said.

As Representative Greg Casar took the microphone, he pointed to Liam as the latest example of rising tensions across the country due to DHS activity. 

“It isn’t just immigrants, we know that they shot and killed Renee Good and executed Alex Pretti,” Casar said.

As his speech came to a close, Casar urged the crowd to continue to use their voice to ensure that their true reforms can be achieved. 

“Our job is to rally through that fear, march through that darkness, to shout through the silence, to fight day in and day out again and again and again and again,” he said.

Minnesota ICE operations & confrontations continue

President Trump and the mayor of Minneapolis get into a war of words online despite efforts to dial down tensions following the shooting death of two people in Minnesota by immigration officers this month.

In an order filed on Monday, District Court Judge Fred Biery stayed any removal or transfer of Conejo Ramos and Conejo Arias until the court process plays out. 

However, the order will also keep the father and son in the Western District of Texas during the court proceedings. 

The family’s attorney claims they are legally in the U.S. seeking asylum and disputes ICE’s handling of the arrests.