A US judge has temporarily blocked an attempt by the Trump administration to deport dozens of unaccompanied Guatemalan children back to their home country. District Court Judge Sparkle Sooknanan's order on Sunday was in response to reports children had been put onto planes and were about to be sent to Guatemala, where lawyers argued they would be at risk of abuse and persecution. The children arrived in the US alone and are in government custody while their immigration claims are assessed. Lawyers for the US justice department said the children were not being deported, but rather repatriated so they could be reunited with family.
The legal proceedings were sparked early on Sunday when immigrant advocacy groups asked for an emergency injunction, claiming around 600 children could be put on planes in Texas and deported. Judge Sooknanan then issued a temporary restraining order barring officials from sending a group of 10 migrant children between the ages of 10 and 17 to Guatemala. At a hastily arranged hearing on Sunday afternoon, Judge Sooknanan, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden, expanded the order to cover all unaccompanied children said to be at risk of deportation. The order will be in place for 14 days.
At the hearing, Judge Sooknanan sought assurances from Trump administration lawyers that planes had not already departed with the children on board. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign stated all planes were 'on the ground' in the US. He also claimed that the flights were not part of a deportation effort but for family reunifications with parents and other relatives in Guatemala, though advocacy groups disputed these claims.
In court filings, lawyers for the children argued the action violated federal laws designed to protect minors arriving in the US alone and highlighted credible fears shared by some regarding their return. Efrén C Olivares from the National Immigration Law Center, which filed the suit, stated, 'In the dead of night on a holiday weekend, the Trump administration ripped vulnerable, frightened children from their beds and attempted to return them to danger in Guatemala.' He expressed relief that the court intervened before more children could be harmed.
White House immigration advisor Stephen Miller criticized the judge’s decision, stating that these minors had reported their parents were back in Guatemala. The legal battles highlight ongoing tensions around immigration policies, as Trump’s administration seeks to enforce strict measures on undocumented migrants, a key promise that resonated with many supporters during his campaign.
The legal proceedings were sparked early on Sunday when immigrant advocacy groups asked for an emergency injunction, claiming around 600 children could be put on planes in Texas and deported. Judge Sooknanan then issued a temporary restraining order barring officials from sending a group of 10 migrant children between the ages of 10 and 17 to Guatemala. At a hastily arranged hearing on Sunday afternoon, Judge Sooknanan, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden, expanded the order to cover all unaccompanied children said to be at risk of deportation. The order will be in place for 14 days.
At the hearing, Judge Sooknanan sought assurances from Trump administration lawyers that planes had not already departed with the children on board. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign stated all planes were 'on the ground' in the US. He also claimed that the flights were not part of a deportation effort but for family reunifications with parents and other relatives in Guatemala, though advocacy groups disputed these claims.
In court filings, lawyers for the children argued the action violated federal laws designed to protect minors arriving in the US alone and highlighted credible fears shared by some regarding their return. Efrén C Olivares from the National Immigration Law Center, which filed the suit, stated, 'In the dead of night on a holiday weekend, the Trump administration ripped vulnerable, frightened children from their beds and attempted to return them to danger in Guatemala.' He expressed relief that the court intervened before more children could be harmed.
White House immigration advisor Stephen Miller criticized the judge’s decision, stating that these minors had reported their parents were back in Guatemala. The legal battles highlight ongoing tensions around immigration policies, as Trump’s administration seeks to enforce strict measures on undocumented migrants, a key promise that resonated with many supporters during his campaign.
