NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In a controversial action, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported Chanthila Shawn Souvannarath, a 44-year-old father from Alabama, to Laos, despite a federal court order prohibiting his removal while he asserts a claim to U.S. citizenship.
U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick had issued a restraining order just days before, acknowledging what she described as Souvannarath's substantial claim of U.S. citizenship. Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, Souvannarath was granted lawful permanent residence in the U.S. before turning one, according to court documents.
Sunday evening, Souvannarath contacted his wife via WhatsApp from Dongmakkhai, Laos, leaving her a message that concluded with, love y’all. This news shattered his family, especially his wife Beatrice Souvannarath, who expressed her devastation, particularly for their children.
The ACLU of Louisiana, which is representing Souvannarath, termed his deportation a stunning violation of a federal court order. Prior to being deported, he was held at a new ICE facility located in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. ICE just ignored a federal court order and tore yet another family apart,” lamented Alanah Odoms, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana. This administration has shown it will ignore the courts, ignore the Constitution and ignore the law to pursue its mass deportation agenda, even if it means destroying the lives of American citizens.
Chanthila Souvannarath was taken into ICE custody in June during a routine check-in with immigration authorities in Alabama, where he had been residing. He spent a majority of his early life moving between Hawaii, Washington, and California, living with his parents. His father, originally from Laos, is now a naturalized U.S. citizen, a fact that Souvannarath asserts grants him citizenship as well.
In a letter penned from detention, Souvannarath stated, I have always considered myself an American citizen. He filed an emergency motion seeking to postpone his deportation, and Judge Dick subsequently enacted a restraining order warning of irreparable harm due to immediate deportation. She noted that while the government has a vested interest in enforcing immigration laws, the potential removal of a U.S. citizen carries significant public interest concerns.
The court determined that Souvannarath would be unable to effectively litigate his case from Laos, leading to heightened concerns about the implications of his deportation.
The situation points to broader issues involving enforcement of immigration policies and the treatment of individuals with claims to citizenship, as previous cases have evidenced the deportation of U.S. citizens, including those born in the U.S.
