During a Thursday, January 29 segment of CNN, Dana Bush revealed new information on 5-year-old boy Liam Ramos, who was detained by ICE in Minneapolis, Minnesota
CNN halts segment to share update on “depressed” 5-year-old who was taken by ICE(Image: CNN)
CNN has issued a harrowing update on Liam Conejo Ramos after he was detained by ICE.
Last week, the 5-year-old boy and his father Alexander were arrested by federal agents during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, Minn. A photo has now gone viral, showing Liam looking distressed entering ICE’s vehicle, wearing a blue bunny hat and a Spider Man backpack.
During the Thursday, January 29 segment of CNN’s Inside Politices with Dana Bush, the host gave an update on the boy, who has now been transported to a family detention facility in Dilly, Texas, more than 1,000 miles away from Minnesota.
Bush first shared a photo of the boy sleeping, cradled in the arms of his father. The photo was provided by Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro, who was also pictured in the image.
The U.S. representative told CNN, “He said that he misses his classmates and his family and wants to be back in school.
“He keeps asking about that hat and that backpack that are in the picture,” he mentioned. “I think they took that from him.”
CNN’s Dana Bush shares new information on Liam Ramos’ detainment(Image: CNN)
Castro admitted he was “concerned” for the boy after “his dad said that he’s been depressed and been despondent and isn’t eating well, that he’s been very lethargic.”
“He needs to be released immediately,” the congressman concluded.
As of right now, a federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked any attempt by ICE to deport or transfer Liam and his father.
ICE said his father is an illegal immigrant from Ecuador. They claimed he attempted to evade arrest when the agents apprehended him on January 20.
Federal officials say Alexander fled the scene when officers arrived, “abandoning his child in the middle of winter in a vehicle.”
The family’s attorney has claimed the ICE agents tried to use Liam as “bait.”
Congressman Joaquin Castro visited Liam and Alexander Ramos at detention facility(Image: CNN)
ICE Deportation Chief Marcos Charles clarified that agents were targeting Liam’s father during the arrest. When they tried to approach the house and return Liam, “the people inside refused to take him in and open the door.”
A local pastor, Sergio Amezcua, told CNN that he spoke with Liam’s mother Erika, who claimed neighbors advised her not to go outside when ICE came to her door with her son.
DHS officials have denied the claims, saying they clarified they had no intentions of detaining the mother.
“Officers even assured her she would NOT be taken her into custody,” Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News. “The alleged mother refused to accept custody of the child. The father told officers he wanted the child to remain with him.”
