Lawyers challenge deportation of hundreds of minors to Guatemala
Immigrant rights lawyers have taken action in Washington, D.C., to protect hundreds of Guatemalan minors from deportation by the Trump administration. They argue that these young migrants could face neglect or persecution if sent back to their home country.
The lawyers representing the minors, who range from 10 to 17 years old, raised concerns that their clients were in immediate danger of being removed from the United States, despite having pending asylum cases or other legal claims that had not been fully reviewed by the courts.
According to the legal team, laws concerning trafficking and immigration are in place to prevent unaccompanied children from being hastily deported without proper consideration of their well-being. The minors in question are currently under the custody of the Health and Human Services department and do not have legal guardians in the U.S.
Judge Sparkle Sooknanan issued an emergency order over the holiday weekend to temporarily block the deportations for up to two weeks. This decision came after it was discovered that more than 60 minors had been transferred from HHS to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and put on a plane bound for Guatemala.
The case has gained attention not only due to the large number of minors at risk of being deported but also because Judge Sooknanan, a Biden appointee, was quick to impose a restraining order on the Trump administration to halt the removals.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of ten underage Guatemalan migrants who were living in the U.S. without a guardian or proper documentation. Their attorneys argue that these vulnerable children deserve enhanced protection and care, and that the Trump administration was violating laws and the Constitution by attempting to deport them unlawfully.
The case has now been reassigned to Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, who has scheduled a hearing to address the migrants’ request for a preliminary injunction.
The migrants’ lawyers fear that ICE is planning to deport them to Guatemala where they could face abuse, neglect, or even torture. They claim that federal authorities woke the children in the middle of the night and subjected them to the trauma of imminent removal.
The Department of Homeland Security has stated that the Guatemalan government requested the return of the migrant youths, and that all of them have parents or guardians in Guatemala who are seeking their return.
The legal battle continues as the fate of these young migrants hangs in the balance. Will they be reunited with their families or face the unknown in a foreign land? Only time will tell as the courts deliberate on this complex and emotionally charged issue.
