Judge frees Venezuelan family after invalid St. Paul ICE raid; U.S. Attorney apologizes
A federal judge ordered the release of a Venezuelan family detained in a St. Paul ICE raid after finding the operation relied on an invalid warrant, and U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen formally apologized in a court filing for the way the matter and information were handled. All six family members were returned to their St. Paul home after being flown to two Texas immigration facilities where they allege mistreatment, and the case echoes a separate Minnesota habeas ruling that freed a 5‑year‑old and limited ICE’s ability to move child detainees, though that order did not resolve the underlying legality of that arrest.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- All six Venezuelan family members were released and returned to their St. Paul home after being detained and flown to two Texas immigration facilities.
- Father Joel Campos says ICE agents accused him of narcotics trafficking and told his 12‑year‑old son he was in the country illegally despite the family having state‑issued IDs.
- An older son reported that at a second Texas facility four family members were forced to sleep on the floor without food or showers, and that agents took a selfie with him and mocked him.
- U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen filed a formal apology in federal court to the court, the family and their attorney, saying the Justice Department "regrets the manner in which information has been shared in this case up until now."
- A separate Minnesota judge granted habeas relief in the Liam Conejo Ramos case that limits ICE’s ability to move or remove child detainees; that order echoes but does not duplicate the Venezuelan‑family ruling and is framed more narrowly—addressing custody and timing of removal without resolving the underlying legality of the arrest.
đź“Š Relevant Data
Undocumented immigrants have a 41% lower total criminal conviction rate than native-born Americans.
No, undocumented immigrant crime rate isn't higher as Trump claimed — U.S. Congress
The property crime arrest rate was 165.2 per 100,000 for U.S.-born citizens and 38.5 per 100,000 for undocumented immigrants.
Undocumented Immigrant Offending Rate Lower Than U.S.-Born Citizen Rate — U.S. House of Representatives
The economic and political instability in Venezuela since 2015, accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has driven migration to the United States.
Venezuelan Immigrants in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy.
Economist: Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy — MPR News
Since July 2025, there have been at least 17 open-fire incidents involving federal immigration agents.
Footage, documents at odds with DHS accounts of immigration enforcement incidents — Stateline
đź“° Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The Liam Conejo Ramos order shows another Minnesota judge granting habeas relief that directly limits ICE’s ability to move or remove child detainees, echoing but not duplicating the earlier Venezuelan‑family ruling.
- Unlike the faulty‑warrant Venezuelan raid case, the Liam order is framed more narrowly: it addresses custody and removal timing without yet resolving the underlying legality of the arrest itself.
- All six Venezuelan family members have now been returned to their St. Paul home after being detained and flown to two Texas immigration facilities.
- The father, Joel Campos, says ICE agents accused him of narcotics trafficking and told his 12‑year‑old son he was in the country illegally despite the family having state‑issued IDs.
- Campos’ older son reports that four family members at a second Texas facility were forced to sleep on the floor without food or showers, and that agents took a selfie with him and mocked him.
- In a federal court filing, U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen formally apologized to the court, the family and their attorney and said DOJ 'regrets the manner in which information has been shared in this case up until now.'