Court intervenes following urgent legal challenge
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Sunday ordered a temporary halt to the Trump administration’s plan to deport Guatemalan minors. The emergency injunction came after attorneys filed last-minute appeals arguing the planned removals were unlawful.
Ten children named, protections extend to all minors in custody
The lawsuit concerns 10 unaccompanied children, aged 10 to 17, who lawyers said were only hours from being flown to Guatemala late Saturday. Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan suspended deportations for 14 days and directed that the children remain under the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). She clarified that the ruling applies to all Guatemalan minors held by federal authorities, not just those listed in the case.
Conflicting accounts over children’s placements
Government attorneys said the children were being returned to parents or guardians rather than deported. Lawyers representing the minors challenged this claim, pointing out that many families had not requested reunification. The judge noted the contradiction, stating that the administration’s version did not match evidence provided by the children’s advocates.
Legal opposition spreads as deportation flights are readied
Similar lawsuits have been filed in Arizona and Illinois, highlighting nationwide resistance to the administration’s removal plan. At a border airport in Harlingen, Texas, signs of impending flights were visible: buses carrying migrants drove onto the tarmac, reporters were kept behind security lines, and planes were readied for departure as crews conducted final checks while the Washington court issued its ruling.
