A United States(US) judge has issued an emergency order blocking the administration of President Donald Trump from deporting unaccompanied Guatemalan children for at least the next two weeks.
The order, issued by District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan, came in response to a complaint filed by the National Immigration Law Center on behalf of 10 children aged between 10 and 17.
The judge’s decision applies broadly to unaccompanied Guatemalan minors, preventing their deportation to Guatemala. The order was issued on Sunday, just as some Guatemalan children were reportedly being put onto planes at a Texas airport.
The National Immigration Law Center’s complaint argued that the Trump administration’s plan to deport the children would constitute a “clear violation of the unambiguous protections that Congress has provided them as vulnerable children.”
The complaint also alleged that the US government was planning to “illegally transfer them to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody to put them on flights to Guatemala, where they may face abuse, neglect, persecution, or torture.”
The judge’s decision is seen as a significant setback for the Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies. Since the start of his second presidential term in January, Trump has attempted to start deporting refugees and immigrants en masse.
His administration’s anti-immigration actions have been beset by legal difficulties, including the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man who was mistakenly deported in March and severely beaten and subjected to psychological torture in prison.
Abrego Garcia’s case has highlighted the risks faced by immigrants and refugees who are deported to countries where they may face persecution or violence.
His lawyers have argued that he fears further persecution and torture should the Trump administration succeed in deporting him to Uganda, as it plans to do.
The judge’s decision to block the deportation of unaccompanied Guatemalan minors is a significant victory for immigrant advocacy groups. However, it is likely that the Trump administration will appeal the decision, potentially leading to a higher court.
Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher noted that it was “almost certain that the Trump administration will take this to a higher court very quickly — possibly first thing on Monday.” The US government will be keen to start repatriation flights as soon as possible, Fisher added.
The case highlights the complexities and challenges of US immigration policy, particularly with regards to unaccompanied minors.
The Trump administration’s efforts to deport these children raise concerns about their safety and well-being, and the role of the courts in protecting their rights.
As the legal battle continues, the fate of the unaccompanied Guatemalan minors remains uncertain. However, for now, they will not be deported, thanks to the judge’s emergency order.
The case is a reminder of the ongoing debate over immigration policy in the US and the need for a comprehensive and humane approach to addressing the issue.