A federal judge’s order calling for the release of a father and his 5-year-old son over the weekend has sparked strong criticism from Republicans. The directive implied that the Trump administration had an “evil lust for unbridled power.” Judge Fred Beery, who was appointed by Clinton, noted that Adrian Conejo Arias and his son, Liam, were merely requesting “a modicum” of due process.
In his brief, the judge referenced a Bible verse about Jesus weeping and included a now-viral image of a young child carrying a backpack.
In response to the situation, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) expressed his disapproval, suggesting that Beery should be added to a list of judges for impeachment. Lee commented sarcastically, stating, “This federal judge misspelled ‘impeach me immediately.’ House Republicans, you know what to do.”
Andrew Arthur, a Law and Policy Researcher from the Immigration Research Center, called the order “bizarre.” Meanwhile, former Chief of Staff to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chad Mizell, voiced his disbelief on social media, questioning the legitimacy of the order, expressing, “Honestly, I thought this was fake.” He added that this situation confirms criticisms about the liberal judiciary’s handling of immigration enforcement.
Conservative analyst Guy Benson described the order as a “lawless, overreaching failure to resist.” This sentiment was echoed by DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin on social media.
Notably, the judge’s signature on the order included the date “February 31,” which raised eyebrows as that date doesn’t exist, highlighting minor technical flaws in the document that could complicate the case.
While Beery quoted extensively about deportation issues, his reflections on this particular case were brief. He criticized the Trump administration for its “ignorance” regarding the Declaration of Independence and implied that current deportation practices are traumatizing children.
Marc Prokosh, an immigration lawyer, explained that Arias and his son had correctly used the CBP One app to enter the U.S. in Texas back in 2024. Prokosh stressed that they acted within the law, saying, “ICE didn’t care about the fact that they had pending charges.”
He confirmed they were detained by immigration authorities in January and moved from Minnesota to the Dilley Immigration Detention Center in Texas. Liam’s image has become emblematic for human rights advocates who argue that the Trump administration’s immigration tactics are excessive and inhumane.
A political analysis revealed that while the Trump administration managed to lower illegal immigration rates, its deportation strategies have faced criticism from various district court judges, including some appointed by Republicans. Representative Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, confirmed that the government has adhered to Judge Beery’s order, relocating the family back to Minnesota as the case remains unresolved.
