Emergency decision halts removals after late-night filings
A federal court in Washington, D.C., stepped in on Sunday to prevent the Trump administration from sending Guatemalan children back to their home country. The emergency order followed urgent motions from attorneys who said the government was moving forward with removals that broke the law.
Ten minors identified, but protection applies to all
The lawsuit involved 10 unaccompanied children, ages 10 through 17, who lawyers said were only hours away from boarding flights to Guatemala late Saturday evening. Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan froze deportations for 14 days and instructed that the minors remain in custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). She stressed that her directive applies to every Guatemalan child currently detained by federal authorities, not just the 10 listed in the filing.
Competing narratives from government and advocates
Lawyers for the administration argued that the children were being returned to relatives or legal guardians in Guatemala, rather than forcibly deported. Attorneys representing the minors disputed that, saying many families had never asked for reunification. Sooknanan said she was faced with “two irreconcilable accounts” and found the government’s position inconsistent with the evidence offered by advocates.
Wider courtroom battles and signs of flights being readied
Similar cases have also been brought in courts in Arizona and Illinois, underscoring the broader legal push against the administration’s strategy. Meanwhile, in Harlingen, Texas, airport activity on Sunday suggested removal flights were close to departure: buses carrying migrants rolled onto the runway, security officers kept reporters at bay, and planes sat waiting with crews preparing for takeoff as the Washington ruling was handed down.
