A federal judge in Washington has ordered an emergency halt to the deportation of nearly 700 unaccompanied Guatemalan children, blocking a Trump administration plan that immigrant advocates described as illegal. The ruling, issued on Sunday by Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan, prevents the removal of the minors for at least 14 days as legal proceedings unfold.
The judge's order came after attorneys for ten Guatemalan children, aged 10 to 17, filed court papers late on Saturday warning that planes were poised to depart for Guatemala within hours. During a hastily scheduled hearing on Sunday, Judge Sooknanan emphasised that her ruling applies broadly to Guatemalan minors who entered the US without parents or guardians, and she insisted that government officials comply without ambiguity.
Government lawyers argued that the children were not being deported but rather reunited with family at their parents' request—a claim disputed by the children's legal representatives. Judge Sooknanan acknowledged conflicting narratives, noting that the government's account did not align with what advocates had presented. Similar emergency requests were also filed in Arizona and Illinois, highlighting the national scope of the dispute.
At the border-area airport in Harlingen, Texas, activity was intense on Sunday morning, with buses carrying migrants, federal agents, and aircraft preparing for departure. However, a government lawyer later confirmed that the children had been removed from the planes and returned to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
The Trump administration had reportedly struck an agreement with Guatemala to allow the return of unaccompanied children, with deportations planned to begin over the weekend. Lawyers for the minors argue that the government lacks authority to remove them and is denying due process by blocking asylum claims. Many of the children have active immigration cases, and advocates warn they could face abuse or persecution if sent back.
