The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has moved to deport 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was detained in Minnesota last month after an immigration raid. The Ecuadorean boy and his father entered the U.S. legally as asylum applicants before being taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas.

A judge ordered the pair's release on January 31, allowing them to return to Minnesota. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin defended the deportation action as "standard procedure" and denied accusations of retaliation, despite the boy's lawyer describing the move as "extraordinary."

The case gained national attention after the child was photographed wearing a blue bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack during his apprehension. Trump administration officials have claimed Conejo Arias was in the U.S. illegally, though no additional details were provided.

Thousands of federal agents deployed to Minnesota as part of the president's immigration crackdown have sparked widespread protests. Two U.S. citizens have been fatally shot by immigration agents in the state, escalating tensions in the region.

Quick Fact: Liam Conejo Ramos was 5 years old when detained.