Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made it clear Sunday that the 5-year-old boy and his father detained by ICE in Minneapolis last month did not properly apply for asylum, directly contradicting claims from lawyers and school officials who insist the Ecuadorian family has an active case. Blanche said there has been a meaningful dispute over the family’s legal status since they entered the United States in 2024, and that public reports about their asylum claim are simply not accurate.
Speaking on ABC’s This Week, Blanche pushed back on the narrative that the family had a pending asylum application. He stated that the Department of Homeland Security has already described them as being in the country illegally, and he echoed that position. Blanche explained that while he could not discuss all the details of the litigation, the filings themselves show that the claim of a properly filed asylum case is not true. In other words, reading the paperwork matters—imagine that.
Blanche also addressed the broader issue of detention, noting that unauthorized entry into the United States is considered a crime by the Trump administration. He said that even when individuals do not have prior criminal records, being present in the country illegally still constitutes a violation of the law. He added that there is currently a legal divide over whether illegal aliens should be detained while their cases proceed or released on bail, but the administration strongly believes detention is the proper course, supported by multiple appellate cases.
The comments came after backlash from attorneys and lawmakers over the operation that detained the boy when his father picked him up from school on Jan. 20. The child and his father were released Saturday from a detention center in Dilley, Texas, after a judge issued a ruling earlier in the day.
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, said he picked up the family Saturday night and escorted them back to Minnesota the next morning. In a letter to the boy, he wrote, “Don’t let anyone tell you this isn’t your home,” adding that America became powerful and prosperous because of immigrants. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., also celebrated their release on social media, posting a photo with the family and Castro and writing, “Liam is home now… Welcome home Liam.”
While critics rush to frame this as a moral drama, Blanche’s message was straightforward: the law still matters, and claims must be properly filed and proven. The family has been released, the legal process continues, and the administration remains focused on enforcing immigration laws as written. And in a country built on laws and opportunity, that’s exactly how it should be—firm, fair, and moving forward.
