US Government Tries to Deport Guatemalan Children, But Judge Steps In

The US government recently attempted to deport hundreds of Guatemalan children who had arrived in the country without their parents or guardians. However, a federal judge has temporarily blocked the flights, citing concerns that the children would be sent back to potentially dangerous situations.

The drama unfolded over the course of a holiday weekend, with the US government loading children onto planes in the middle of the night. The children’s attorneys argued that the government was violating the law and would be putting vulnerable kids in harm’s way. The judge, Sparkle Sooknanan, emphasized that her ruling applies to all Guatemalan minors who arrived in the US without their parents or guardians.

For now, the children will be allowed to stay in the US for at least two weeks while the legal fight plays out. The Trump administration had planned to remove nearly 700 Guatemalan children who came to the US unaccompanied, according to a letter sent by Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat. The Guatemalan government had said it was ready to take them in.

Background on the Situation

Migrant children who arrive in the US without their parents or guardians are typically handed over to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement. They often live in government-supervised shelters or with foster care families until they can be released to a sponsor, usually a relative, in the US. Many of these children request asylum or pursue other legal avenues to get permission to stay in the US.

In this case, the children’s attorneys argued that the US government was not following the proper legal process for deporting the children. One girl, a 16-year-old honors student, said she was deeply afraid of being deported and had been living in a New York shelter. Other children reported being neglected, abandoned, physically threatened, or abused in their home country.

The administration insisted that it was reuniting the Guatemalan children with their parents or guardians at the request of the Guatemalan government. However, lawyers for the children disputed this claim, saying that the government was not following the proper procedures and that the children would be sent back to dangerous situations.

Alarm Bells Raised Among Immigrant Advocates

Immigrant advocates raised concerns about the situation, saying that the US government was not taking the necessary steps to protect the children. An attorney with the National Center for Youth Law said that the organization had started hearing from legal service providers that Homeland Security Investigations agents were interviewing children, particularly Guatemalans, in facilities of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

The agents asked the children about their relatives in Guatemala, and advocates began getting word that the children’s immigration court hearings were being canceled. Shaina Aber of Acacia Center for Justice, an immigrant legal defense group, said that the organization was notified that officials had drafted a list of children to return to Guatemala, with flights scheduled to leave from Harlingen and El Paso.

It’s unclear whether any planes actually departed, but government lawyer Drew Ensign told the Washington judge that one plane might have taken off before returning.

Judge Steps In to Block Deportations

Judge Sooknanan was awakened at 2:30 a.m. to address the emergency filing from the children’s lawyers, who wrote in bold type that flights might be leaving within the ensuing two to four hours. The judge spent hours trying to reach federal attorneys and get answers, and ultimately blocked the deportations.

The judge said she was surprised by the government’s actions, which she described as an attempt to remove unaccompanied minors from the country in the middle of the night on a holiday weekend. She emphasized that absent action by the courts, all of the children would have been returned to Guatemala, potentially to very dangerous situations.

Gilberto Lopez, a relative of an unaccompanied minor deported from the United States, awaits updates outside La Aurora International Airport, in Guatemala City, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Moises Castillo / AP

Conclusion

The situation highlights the ongoing debate over immigration and the treatment of migrant children in the US. While the Trump administration has taken a hardline stance on immigration, advocates and judges are pushing back against policies that they say put vulnerable children in harm’s way. The case is a reminder that the US has a responsibility to protect the rights and safety of all individuals, regardless of their immigration status.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about the situation:

Q: What happened to the Guatemalan children who were supposed to be deported?

A: A federal judge blocked the deportations, citing concerns that the children would be sent back to potentially dangerous situations.

Q: Why did the US government try to deport the children?

A: The administration said it was reuniting the children with their parents or guardians at the request of the Guatemalan government. However, lawyers for the children disputed this claim, saying that the government was not following the proper procedures.

Q: What will happen to the children now?

A: The children will be allowed to stay in the US for at least two weeks while the legal fight plays out. Their attorneys will continue to advocate for their rights and safety.

Q: What is the broader context of this situation?

A: The situation is part of the ongoing debate over immigration and the treatment of migrant children in the US. Advocates and judges