Immigrant Families Protest Detention of Young Boy at Texas Facility

Mon Feb 02 2026 22:26:25 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Amid rising tensions in the U.S. immigration debate, immigrant families gathered in protest against the detention of a 5-year-old boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father at a Texas facility, demanding dignity and justice.

Hundreds of immigrant families demonstrated outside the South Texas Family Residential Center, urging for the release of Liam Conejo Ramos and his father. The protest was sparked by dissatisfaction with detention conditions and the emotional turmoil experienced by families enduring prolonged captivity amidst controversial immigration enforcement policies. Advocates highlight abysmal conditions including poor food quality and lack of medical care as reasons for the desperation that led to the protest.

Dozens of immigrant families protested on Saturday outside a Texas detention facility where a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father were recently sent after being detained in Minnesota. The protest was held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, with participants dressed in jackets and sweaters as they rallied for the children’s freedom.

Chants of 'Libertad!' or 'Let us go' echoed through the air, as Immigration attorney Eric Lee, who was visiting clients at the facility, noted the emotional weight of the demonstrations. Maria Alejandra Montoya Sanchez, also detained at the facility, shared her heart-wrenching experience of being held along with her daughter since October, emphasizing that immigrants are not criminals but families seeking dignity.

The case of Liam Conejo Ramos has accentuated divisions surrounding U.S. immigration policy under the Trump administration, with conflicting accounts surfacing regarding whether the family had the opportunity to arrange care for the child before their detention. Montoya Sanchez reported seeing the father and son briefly during the protest, highlighting the families' desperation for justice.

The protests occurred simultaneously with tragic events in Minneapolis, including a fatal shooting involving a federal immigration officer, stirring emotions and tensions across the local and national landscape.

Protesters voiced their frustrations over conditions within the facility, which have reportedly included inadequate food quality and insufficient medical care. Lee described the courage shown by families, risking their safety to speak out against their living conditions, further highlighting the urgent need for systemic change within immigration enforcement practices.

The Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the matter as concerns grow over the welfare of detained children and families.