U.S. District Court Judge Sparkle Sooknanan blocked the return of unaccompanied migrant children to Guatemala.
“I have the government attempting to remove minor children from the country in the wee hours of the morning on a holiday weekend, which is surprising, but here we are,” the Biden-appointed judge said at the hearing, as reported by Politico.
Justice Department attorney Drew Ensign argued that the transfers were not deportations, but reunifications. “These are not removals under the statute,” Ensign said. “These are repatriations. … It’s outrageous that the plaintiffs are trying to interfere with these reunifications.”
“All of these children have parents or guardians in Guatemala who have requested their return,” Ensign explained.
The hearing stems from a lawsuit filed over the weekend. “All unaccompanied children — regardless of the circumstances of their arrival to the United States — receive the benefit of full immigration proceedings, including a hearing on claims for relief before an immigration judge,” the filing read, adding, “Defendants’ actions are thus exposing children to multiple harms in returning them to a country where they fear persecution and by flouting their legal obligations to care for them in the United States.”
Border czar Tom Homan told Fox News last week that out of the 300,000 missing unaccompanied migrant children, the Trump administration has located “over 23,000 of them.”
“So 23,000 locations of 300,000. President Trump’s committed,” Homan said. “We’re not going to stop until we find every one of them or at least run every lead down on those 300,000 children. That’s a big plus for the administration because the last administration wasn’t even looking for them.”
Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) uncovered widespread abuse and exploitation among unaccompanied migrant children placed with sponsors. “Children’s safety and security is non-negotiable,” said ICE spokesperson Laszlo Baksay. “The previous administration’s failure to implement meaningful safeguards has allowed vulnerable kids to fall into the hands of criminals. Our special agents are working tirelessly to locate these alien children, ensure their protection, and hold accountable those who have abused the system.”
