Federal Judge Blocks Deportation of Central American Minors
A federal judge recently intervened to stop the Trump administration from deporting unaccompanied Central American children who had arrived in the U.S.
US District Judge Rosemary Marquez, appointed during the Obama presidency, issued a ruling suspending the administration’s efforts to send certain children from Guatemala and Honduras back to their countries. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed this on Thursday. This decision builds on a previous ruling made on Labor Day weekend, which had already halted the removal of Guatemalan minors.
DHS Deputy Commissioner Tricia McLaughlin commented on the ruling, saying it prevents the children from reuniting with their families, calling the situation “disgusting and immoral.” Children from these countries often stay in shelters after entering the U.S. alone, without any parents or guardians. The administration had claimed that reuniting these children with their families back home was in their best interest.
The lawsuit that led to this ruling was initially filed by the Florence Immigration & Refugee Rights Project, representing 53 Guatemalan children in custody. They asserted that these children did not wish to return to their homeland. The advocacy group later expanded the lawsuit to include children from Honduras as well.
Loxana Avila Chimpairu, Deputy Director of the Florence Project, expressed disbelief at the government’s continued attempts to deport these children, emphasizing that there are now multiple temporary restraining orders across the country preventing such actions.
Judge Marquez is not the only federal judge to intervene in this matter. On August 31, another judge, Sparkle Souknanan, appointed by the Biden administration, also issued a temporary order blocking the deportation of unaccompanied Guatemalan minors.
The issue of unaccompanied foreign children arriving at the southern border has posed significant challenges for successive administrations. Tens of thousands were reported during the Obama administration, and the influx continued during the Biden era. A DHS Inspector General report in August 2024 highlighted that many immigrant children have gone missing while living in the U.S.
