Court responds to urgent plea from immigration attorneys
On Sunday, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued an emergency injunction preventing the Trump administration from deporting a group of Guatemalan minors. The ruling came after lawyers warned the government was preparing immediate removals that violated existing legal protections.
Ten minors cited, ruling covers all Guatemalan children in custody
The case was filed late Saturday on behalf of 10 unaccompanied children, ranging in age from 10 to 17. Attorneys said deportation flights were imminent when Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan intervened. She ordered a 14-day pause and instructed that the children remain under the supervision of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The judge emphasized that her order applied not only to those children but to every Guatemalan minor held by U.S. authorities.
Administration frames action as reunification, lawyers disagree
Government attorneys insisted the children were being returned to parents or guardians, not deported. Advocates disputed that characterization, stating that many families had never requested their return. Sooknanan, noting the stark contrast, said she was hearing “two entirely different accounts” and found the government’s claims inconsistent with evidence offered by the children’s representatives.
Legal challenges expand as deportation flights appear imminent
Additional lawsuits have been lodged in Illinois and Arizona, signaling that the dispute is broadening nationwide. Meanwhile, in Harlingen, Texas, activity at a border airport suggested flights were being prepared: buses carrying migrants entered the tarmac, reporters were kept back by security, and planes stood ready as crews conducted checks—developments unfolding as the Washington court issued its ruling.
