Immigrant Families Demand Freedom at Texas Detention Center Amid Growing Controversy
Dozens of immigrant families gathered behind chain-link fences at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley on Saturday, chanting "¡Libertad!" as children held handmade signs reading "Libertad para los niños" or "Freedom for the kids." The emotional protest highlighted growing frustrations among detained families who say the immigration system treats children like criminals rather than asylum seekers.
Detention of 5-Year-Old Boy Sparks Outrage
The protest was specifically sparked by the detention of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who were transferred this week from Minnesota to the Texas ICE facility. For families already held there for months, Liam's arrival became a powerful symbol of what they describe as a broken system that fails to protect vulnerable children.
Maria Alejandra Montoya Sanchez, 31, who has been detained at the Dilley center with her 9-year-old daughter since October, told The Associated Press by phone that the message of Saturday's protest was simple: dignity. "We're immigrants, with children, not criminals," she emphasized. Sanchez briefly saw Liam and his father during the demonstration before guards intervened.
Deadly ICE Shooting in Minneapolis Adds to Tensions
The protest unfolded as immigration enforcement once again collided with deadly force hundreds of miles away. Earlier Saturday in Minneapolis, federal immigration agents shot and killed 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti during an encounter that authorities said followed a scuffle.
The Department of Homeland Security claimed Pretti was armed with a 9mm handgun and posed a threat, while Trump administration officials labeled him a "domestic terrorist." However, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara later said Pretti was believed to be a lawful gun owner with a permit. His family rejected the government's account, saying Pretti had intervened to protect a woman who was shoved by immigration agents, calling the official narrative "reprehensible and disgusting."
Legal Questions Surround Child Detention
Attorneys and advocates argue Liam's detention raises serious questions about whether his parents were given a real opportunity to leave him with relatives or community members before being taken into custody. Government officials and the family's legal team have offered conflicting accounts, fueling public outrage over immigration enforcement practices.
Eric Lee, an immigration attorney visiting clients at Dilley during the protest, said guards abruptly ordered visitors out as families gathered. "That parents and children would risk retaliation to speak up shows how desperate conditions have become," he observed.
Systemic Issues in Immigration Detention
Advocates cite numerous reports of prolonged detention beyond court-mandated limits, inadequate medical care, and unsanitary food conditions at immigration facilities. ICE acknowledged in a December court filing that hundreds of children have been held longer than legally allowed, highlighting systemic problems within the detention system.
Inside the Dilley detention center, families said the debates about immigration enforcement feel painfully personal. The protest served as both a cry for freedom and a condemnation of policies that separate families and detain children, with participants demanding humane treatment and respect for their rights as asylum seekers.
