The quiet town of Dilley, Texas, became a battlefield of emotion and politics on Wednesday as protesters clashed with police outside a US immigration detention centre holding a five-year-old boy whose arrest has shaken America’s conscience.
Amid chants and placards accusing authorities of “terrorising communities,” Texas state police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators demanding the release of Liam Conejo Ramos, a preschooler from Ecuador detained alongside his father after an immigration raid.
“He hasn’t been himself. He’s been sleeping a lot because he’s been depressed and sad,” US Congressman Joaquin Castro said, describing the child’s condition after visiting the facility.
For many protesters, Liam’s story symbolised what they call the human cost of America’s renewed immigration crackdown. About 100 demonstrators gathered outside the South Texas Family Residential Center, some calling for the defunding of immigration authorities and political accountability.
“We want the US Senate to defund ICE… and we need people to pay attention to the midterm elections this year,” local official Christina Morales told AFP.
The protest quickly turned tense. Officers in riot gear fired tear gas canisters—one landing near journalists and temporarily incapacitating an AFP reporter—highlighting how deeply polarised the issue has become.
The national outrage was sparked by haunting images of Liam: a frightened boy in a fluffy blue bunny hat, clutching his school backpack as officers detained him while attempting to arrest his father in Minneapolis.
According to the child’s school superintendent, the boy was allegedly used as “bait” to lure family members from their home—an allegation that has intensified public anger.
While a federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of Liam and his father, the case continues to fuel debate over immigration policy and the treatment of vulnerable families.
“There are no criminals in Dilley,” Castro insisted, arguing that the detainees contradict claims that the crackdown targets dangerous offenders.
As night fell on Dilley, the clash of tear gas and tears left a haunting question hanging in the air: in the battle over borders, who protects the children caught in between?
