Administration's planned deportation of unaccompanied youth to Guatemala temporarily halted by court order
In a significant ruling, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly has barred the Trump administration from deporting unaccompanied Guatemalan children who have not received a final order of removal or permission from the attorney general to voluntarily depart.
The judge's decision comes after dozens of Guatemalan children were put on planes destined for their home country, just 18 days prior to the ruling. According to reports, these children were roused from their beds in the middle of the night and driven to an airport, where some were loaded onto planes.
Judge Kelly noted a swift attempt by several government agencies to remove the children, who were in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services. However, the judge found no evidence that the parents of these children sought their return.
Legal service providers have sounded the alarm about children from El Salvador being prepped for removal, as their scheduled hearings have been removed from the dockets, in a similar fashion to the Guatemalan children. Attorneys for the minors have notified the court that other children from different countries, such as Honduras, could also be targeted for removal.
In response to the ruling, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that the judge is blocking efforts to REUNIFY CHILDREN with their families. McLaughlin also stated that these children will have to go to shelters, "all just to 'get Trump'."
The deportation of unaccompanied minors from Guatemala was previously prevented by U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan through a temporary injunction. The government had claimed that the children were being reunited with their parents in coordination with the Guatemalan government.
However, Judge Kelly's ruling stated that this explanation "crumbled like a house of cards." The judge's order applies only to unaccompanied Guatemalan children, but the concern remains that other children from different countries may face similar treatment.
In other news, a Utah trucker has been arrested after teens were found in a 29-degree refrigerated trailer. A middle school student has also been arrested in an alleged sextortion scheme, according to police. Meanwhile, an Arizona prisoner set to be executed has apologised and stated that he will not seek clemency.
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