Federal Judge Blocks Trump Admin’s Effort to Reunite Guatemalan Children with Families

The Trump administration’s pilot program to reunite hundreds of Guatemalan children with their families hit a sudden roadblock over Labor Day weekend when a federal judge appointed by former President Joe Biden blocked the flights. 

Charter buses had already arrived at planes in Harlingen, Texas, and El Paso, with some children seated onboard, as families in Guatemala waited anxiously at airports. 

The emergency ruling has left the program on hold, raising questions about the legal and humanitarian complexities of returning minors to their parents or guardians.

The pilot program, initiated by the Trump administration, sought to return unaccompanied minors to parents or guardians who had requested their children’s repatriation. 

Officials described the initiative as a lawful and coordinated effort with the Guatemalan government to restore family unity. 

Guatemalan Foreign Minister and President Bernardo Arévalo emphasized that receiving the children was both a “moral and legal obligation” for the country. 

During an emergency hearing, District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan criticized the timing of the flights, noting the effort occurred “in the wee hours of the morning on a holiday weekend.” 

The judge’s intervention came after immigrant advocacy groups filed a last-minute lawsuit claiming the flights violated protections for minors under U.S. law. 

Justice Department attorney Drew Ensign defended the administration’s actions in court, stating, “These are not removals under the statute. These are repatriations. All of these children have parents or guardians in Guatemala who have requested their return.” 

Despite this, advocacy groups insisted the program was an unlawful rush, potentially depriving minors of hearings or the opportunity to request asylum. 

The lawsuit, LGML v. Noem, named multiple officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

One lead plaintiff was a 10-year-old girl, identified only by her initials, whose mother had died in Guatemala, Fox News reports. 

Her case underscored the high stakes of the emergency court action. 

Unaccompanied children arriving in the U.S. are generally placed under the care of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement while their immigration cases are processed.

Many of the Guatemalan children in this pilot program had requested asylum to remain in the United States, further complicating the legal landscape. 

The decision highlights the growing tensions between the current administration’s immigration policies and efforts to enforce family reunifications from previous Trump-era programs. 

Critics of the halted flights argue that children should have the right to be reunited with their families without bureaucratic delays, while supporters emphasize that the program was carefully coordinated to ensure compliance with U.S. law. 

The case illustrates how immigration policy, family reunification and legal oversight intersect in complex and highly public ways. 

As the legal battle unfolds, the situation serves as a reminder of the international implications of U.S. immigration enforcement. 

Hundreds of children remain in limbo, with advocacy groups and government officials continuing to debate the balance between legal protections and family reunification efforts. 

The Department of Justice, HHS, ICE, the State Department, NILC and the Guatemalan Embassy have not issued further statements regarding the emergency ruling. 

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