Judge blocks immediate removals after late-night legal challenge
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued an emergency order Sunday halting the Trump administration’s attempt to deport Guatemalan minors. The ruling followed urgent filings from lawyers who said the government was preparing flights to return children unlawfully.
Case involves 10 minors, ruling applies broadly
The lawsuit was brought on behalf of 10 children, ages 10 to 17, who attorneys said faced removal within hours on Saturday night. Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan barred deportations for two weeks and directed that the children remain in shelters overseen by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. She stressed that her order covered all unaccompanied Guatemalan minors in U.S. custody.
Government cites reunification, advocates dispute claim
Justice Department lawyers argued the children were being sent home to parents or guardians, not deported. Attorneys for the minors countered that many families had not sought such reunification. The judge noted the government’s account conflicted with advocates’ evidence, saying she was presented with “two very different stories.”
Wider legal fight and signs of pending flights
Parallel lawsuits have been filed in Illinois and Arizona, highlighting mounting opposition to the administration’s efforts. In Harlingen, Texas, preparations suggested deportation flights were imminent—migrant buses entered airport grounds, reporters were kept behind barricades, and planes waited on the tarmac as the case played out in Washington.
