A federal judge halted the Trump administration’s plan to deport Guatemalan and Honduran children, citing lack of safeguards and due process concerns.
A federal judge in Arizona has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from removing dozens of Guatemalan and Honduran children housed in shelters or foster care after entering the U.S. alone.
U.S. District Judge Rosemary Márquez extended an emergency order until September 26, citing concerns that officials had not ensured the children’s parents or guardians were prepared to take custody. “On a practical matter, it just seems that a lot of these things … should be made by an immigration judge with expertise,” Márquez said.
Attorneys representing the minors argued the children fear returning home, citing risks of neglect, trafficking, or medical hardship. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of 57 Guatemalan and 12 Honduran children ages 3 to 17, demands they be given access to counsel, hearings before immigration judges, and placement in the least restrictive settings.
Government lawyers countered that repatriation was coordinated with Guatemala, which offered to accept children willing to return.