Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that the 5-year-old boy and his father, who were detained by ICE in Minneapolis last month, did not apply for asylum, as officials announced that the family was released over the weekend.

Blanche said there have been conflicting claims regarding the legal status of the boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who entered the U.S. in 2024, according to public reporting, though officials and the family’s lawyers dispute the circumstances of their entry and asylum processing. Lawyers representing the Ecuadorian family say they have an active asylum claim currently being processed, allowing them to remain in the country pending a court decision.

The deputy attorney general denied that they have a pending asylum case, echoing previous claims by the Department of Homeland Security, which described the family as being in the country illegally.

“That is not true. There’s a very meaningful dispute about whether they had properly applied for asylum,” Blanche said during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.” 

FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP ADMIN TO RELEASE 5-YEAR-OLD, HIS DAD FROM IMMIGRATION DETENTION WITHIN 3 DAYS

“I cannot get into the … specifics of this litigation, but you can read the same briefs I can. And what you just said is not true.”

While some immigrants detained by federal agents do not have prior criminal records, Blanche added that the Trump administration considers unauthorized entry into the U.S. a crime and believes such individuals should be detained.

“The fact that they’re here illegally is a crime,” he said. “And so when you say they don’t have criminal records, they are – by their presence being here without status, having come into this country illegally or overstayed illegally, that is a crime.”

“There is a schism in the law right now about whether an illegal alien can be held pending their proceeding or whether they need to be released on bail,” he added. “We very strongly believe that they should be held and there’s a bunch of appellate cases.”

MEDIA RUNS WILD WITH ‘EGREGIOUS LIE’ ICE TARGETED 5-YEAR-OLD IN MINNESOTA, DHS SAYS CHILD WAS ABANDONED

Blanche’s comments come after several days of widespread backlash from attorneys and lawmakers who condemned the operation that detained the five‑year‑old when his father picked him up from school on Jan. 20.

The boy and his father were released from a detention center in Dilley, Texas, on Saturday, after a judge issued a ruling earlier in the day.  

Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, posted on social media Sunday that he picked up the family Saturday night and escorted them back to Minnesota the next morning.

In a letter he also shared, the congressman wrote to the boy: “Don’t let anyone tell you this isn’t your home. America became the most powerful, prosperous nation on earth because of immigrants not in spite of them.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., celebrated their release on social media with a photo of her standing next to the family and Castro, writing, “Liam is home now and we are grateful to Joaquin Castro for traveling to Minneapolis with him and his dad. Welcome home Liam.”

The Red Wings have been streaking, in the wrong direction earning just one point on a recent home stand, but still are in the hunt for a playoff spot as the team heads towards the Olympic break., 

MILWAUKEE – Local businesses say road salt supplies are running low in Milwaukee, prompting the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to urge residents and contractors to think carefully about how much salt they use.

What we know:

Brad Davis, owner of Premier Landscape Products, said demand has surged as inventories lag following two relatively slow winters that limited stockpiling. His Milwaukee-based, veteran-owned company sells salt and provides commercial snow removal services.

“It’s been crazy. We’re one of the only distributers here in the Milwaukee area,” said Davis. “It’s insane.”

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

He said constant phone calls and inquiries have become the norm as customers search for salt.

Premier Landscape Products has salt available at a time when supplies are tight across the region, Davis said, though getting it has become more complicated.

What they’re saying:

“We’re trying to keep prices down. Here at port – we had a large allotment – then it went to Illinois, we had an allotment there that closed,” Davis said. “And now it’s coming straight from the mine – 10 hours away.”

Davis said storms across the country have contributed to the shortage, with municipalities receiving priority access to salt supplies.

“We had some really intense ice storms and major storms that went through the heartland of our country that they are just not prepared,” said Davis.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said the shortage is a good reminder to evaluate how much salt is being used and to consider ways to reduce usage to protect waterways.

“If you use less, you’re still going to allow people to be safe and protect the environment at the same time,” said Shannon Haydin, stormwater section manager for the Wisconsin DNR.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

Haydin said excess salt use sends chloride into lakes, groundwater and streams, where it can become toxic to aquatic life.

“We do have streams in southeastern Wisconsin that are as salty as the ocean,” said Haydin.

Dig deeper:

The DNR said it is not opposed to salt use altogether, noting it plays an important role in ice management and public safety, but officials hope people will think twice before using too much.

“You can reuse it and it’ll save you money and help save the environment,” said Haydin.

The DNR recommends measuring salt carefully, saying an 8-ounce coffee mug should be enough to salt about 10 sidewalk squares.