Liam Rabbit Ramosa five-year-old boy whose arrest by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) generated international outrage, today faces the emotional consequences of that experience. More than two months after his arrest, his parents assure that The minor lives in constant fear and receives psychological care to cope with the trauma.
The minor was arrested in Minnesota with his father at the beginning of this year, in an operation whose images went around the world. In them, the child—with a blue rabbit hat and his school backpack—became a symbol of the impact of the immigration policies in childhood.
Since then, his behavior has changed necessarily. “As parents, we are very concerned that he will no longer be the same as before”said his father, Adrián Conejo Arias in an interview with CBS Facts. “We are concerned that this could last a long time.”
“It’s ICE, mommy,” Liam constantly repeats.
His mother, Erika Ramos, He detailed that the child shows signs of psychological traumasuch as hypervigilance, isolation and changes in behavior. “My son is very different,” he said. He even reported that when he sees police officers, Liam reacts with fear: “He says, ‘It’s ICE, mommy.’”
The minor and his father were detained for two weeks in a facility in Texas before being released after the intervention of a federal judge. In his ruling, the magistrate was forceful in pointing out that the detention had its “origin in the government’s ill-conceived and incompetent pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even If that requires traumatizing children”.
Despite his release, the family continues to face fair uncertainty. The US government continues with the deportation processafter having rejected his asylum application and appealed the court decision that allowed his release from custody.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), for its part, defended the procedure. In a statement cited by the same medium, he indicated that an immigration judge ordered deportation after guaranteeing due process, and urged families to take advantage of voluntary exit programs.
However, the experience has left a deep mark. Liam, who was previously described as a happy child, now avoids playing with other minors and refuses to attend certain classes at school.
“The hardest thing was not being able to do anything,” his mother recalled about the time her husband and son were detained. “My desperation was to go get them out of there.”
The psychological impact of immigration detentions in minors It has been a topic of conversation. Experts warn that these types of experiences can have lasting effects on children’s emotional development.
While the family hopes for a fair resolution, their critical concern remains Liam’s well-being.
Keep reading:
- Soldier’s wife detained by ICE in US military atrocity released
- Liam Conejo Ramos and his family are denied asylum; will appeal decision
- Judge extends deadline for Liam Conejo Ramos’ family to present their asylum case
