Judge Orders Release of 5-Year-Old, Father from ICE
Did ICE execute a lawful warrant and care for an abandoned child or kidnap and traffic a 5-year-old?
Above: People hold a photo of Liam Conejo Ramos during an "ICE Out" protest in New York on Jan. 23, 2026. Image credit: Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Democratic narrative
ICE kidnapped a five-year-old from his driveway, used him as bait, then trafficked him to a Texas detention warehouse where he fell sick. This mass deportation machine is separating families and holding infants in dangerous conditions — state-sanctioned child trafficking that demands immediate investigation.
Republican narrative
ICE didn't lure anyone — agents executed a lawful warrant, the father fled and abandoned his son, and the family refused to take custody. Law enforcement stepped up to care for the child, providing food and comfort while following proper protocol that allows parents to designate safe guardians.