Adrian Conejo Arias, the father of a 5-year-old boy recently detained by immigration officers, strongly rejected the government's characterization that he abandoned his son during the incident. Speaking to ABC News, Arias emphasized his deep love for his son, Liam, and expressed distress over what he termed as unfounded allegations made by the Department of Homeland Security.
The situation escalated when Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin claimed that Arias fled before his arrest, leaving his son unattended. Arias disputed this narrative, asserting that he would never abandon his child and highlighted that Liam reportedly fell ill while in federal custody but was denied necessary medication.
This alarming incident drew public outcry, especially after images surfaced of immigration officers surrounding Liam as he wore a blue bunny hat and carried a Spider-Man backpack. Following a federal judge's ruling, Arias and his son were released and returned to Minnesota amid ongoing discussions surrounding immigration policy and enforcement practices.
While the government reported that Arias entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in December 2024, claiming to have a pending asylum case, public sentiment remains divided as many condemn the treatment of families during enforcement operations.
