Judge Halts Deportation of Guatemalan Children by Trump Administration

Mon Oct 20 2025 19:55:00 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A temporary block by a U.S. judge stops the Trump administration from deporting unaccompanied Guatemalan minors to their home country, citing risks of abuse and persecution.

A U.S. District Court Judge, Sparkle Sooknanan, has temporarily prevented the Trump administration from deporting unaccompanied Guatemalan children. The order comes after concerns were raised about the safety of these children, many of whom are in the U.S. seeking asylum. Lawyers for the children argued that the deportation violated federal protections. The judge's ruling will remain in effect for 14 days, providing relief to vulnerable minors facing potential danger if returned to Guatemala.

A US judge has temporarily blocked an attempt by the Trump administration to deport dozens of unaccompanied Guatemalan children back to their home country.

District Court Judge Sparkle Sooknanan's order on Sunday was in response to reports that children had been put onto planes and were about to be sent to Guatemala, where lawyers argued they would be at risk of abuse and persecution.

The children arrived in the US alone and are in government custody while their immigration claims are assessed.

Lawyers for the US justice department said the children were not being deported, but rather repatriated so they could be reunited with family.

The legal proceedings were sparked early on Sunday when immigrant advocacy groups asked for an emergency injunction, claiming around 600 children could be put on planes in Texas and deported.

Judge Sooknanan then issued a temporary restraining order barring officials from sending a group of 10 migrant children between the ages of 10 and 17 to Guatemala. At a hastily arranged hearing on Sunday afternoon, Judge Sooknanan, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden, expanded the order to cover all unaccompanied children said to be at risk of deportation. The order will be in place for 14 days.

At the hearing, Judge Sooknanan sought assurances from Trump administration lawyers that planes had not already departed with the children on board. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign stated that all planes were on the ground in the US. He explained that the flights were not part of a deportation effort but oriented toward family reunifications with parents and relatives in Guatemala.

However, advocacy groups contested this assertion, claiming that may not be true in some instances. They argued that the action violated federal laws designed to protect children who arrive in the US unaccompanied, with some having pending cases before immigration judges and credible fears about being returned.

Efrén C Olivares of the National Immigration Law Center criticized the administration's actions, stating, In the dead of night on a holiday weekend, the Trump administration ripped vulnerable, frightened children from their beds and attempted to return them to danger in Guatemala. He expressed relief that the court intervened to prevent what he deemed an injustice from occurring.

White House immigration advisor Stephen Miller responded critically, indicating that the judge's actions disrupt the potential reunification of minors with their parents back in Guatemala. Critics have highlighted significant concern over the legal and ethical implications of deporting vulnerable children who may face dire situations if forced to return.

This case is a reflection of the broader immigration debate in the US, which has intensified during Trump's administration as officials have pushed for stricter immigration controls, particularly concerning unaccompanied minors.