Just days after 5‑year‑old Liam Conejo Ramos returned home to Minnesota following a traumatic detention in Texas, the federal government is escalating its actions against his family.

According to the family’s attorney, the Department of Homeland Security has filed a motion to expedite deportation proceedings, seeking to abruptly end the family’s asylum case. This move comes immediately after national outrage, congressional intervention, and a federal judge’s order secured Liam and his father’s release from detention. The timing is alarming—and deeply troubling.

Liam’s family has been navigating the asylum process through legal channels. They followed the rules. They showed up to court. And yet, after a judge rebuked the government’s conduct and ordered the family freed, DHS is now attempting to fast‑track their removal. Their attorney has described the motion as “retaliatory,” noting that expedited proceedings are highly unusual and unnecessary in this case.

This family has already endured unimaginable harm. Liam was taken from his community, transported hundreds of miles away, and became sick while in custody. His detention sparked widespread condemnation because it crossed a moral line. Now, instead of allowing the family the fair and orderly asylum process the law promises, the government appears intent on punishing them for speaking out and for drawing public scrutiny.

Even more disturbing, DHS may seek to deport the family not back to Ecuador, but to a third country, further destabilizing their lives and placing them at risk. Liam’s father has said plainly that they are living in fear, uncertain what the government will do next.

We call on the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Kristi Noem, and federal immigration authorities to:

• Withdraw the motion to expedite deportation proceedings
• Protect the family’s right to pursue asylum through a full and fair process
• Halt any deportation or third‑country removal while their case is pending

Liam’s release was a victory—but it is not the end of this fight. Justice means more than freedom from a cell. It means safety, stability, and due process.

Sign this petition to protect Liam’s family and demand that our government stop retaliating against those who dare to survive.