U.S. Judge halts deportation of guatemalan Children Amid Legal Challenge
A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of hundreds of unaccompanied Guatemalan children, halting a swift action by the government that sparked immediate legal challenge. The case centers on the attempted deportation of nearly 2,000 Guatemalan children currently housed in shelters across the United States.
The judge, during an emergency hearing convened after receiving notification of planned deportations, demanded the government provide evidence supporting claims that the children were being repatriated solely to family members in Guatemala. The prosecutor from the Department of Justice stated this was the basis for the action, a claim strongly disputed by lawyers representing the children.These lawyers argue the administration is circumventing due legal process, perhaps violating the children’s constitutional right to seek asylum or have thier immigration cases heard in court. Many of the children have existing, pending cases within the U.S. immigration system.
The lawsuit, filed by the National Center for Migration Law and the Young Center for the Rights of Immigrant Children, alleges the administration is “illegally transferring” the children to Immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) custody for deportation to Guatemala, where they could face risks of abuse, persecution, torture, or neglect.
This legal action mirrors similar cases filed in other states, including arizona and Illinois, aimed at preventing the deportation of unaccompanied minors. A letter from Senator Ron Wyden (Oregon) revealed the previous administration had planned to deport approximately 700 unaccompanied Guatemalan children, with the Guatemalan government indicating its willingness to accept them.
The situation is especially sensitive due to the special protections afforded to unaccompanied minors under U.S. immigration law, protections not automatically extended to adults. These children, intercepted near the border, are typically placed in the care of refugee resettlement offices, shelters, or host families while awaiting a sponsor – usually a relative – already residing in the United States. The children targeted for deportation were awaiting placement with sponsors when the government initiated the deportation process.
Over the past decade,hundreds of thousands of children,primarily from Central American countries,have crossed the southern U.S. border, often seeking to reunite with family or escape persecution in their home countries. Many have successfully sought and been granted the right to remain in the U.S. based on claims of abandonment or risk of persecution.
