Federal Judge Blocks Deportation of Guatemalan Minors

WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Thursday blocked the Trump administration from deporting certain Guatemalan minors, citing concerns about potential violence or neglect if they were returned to their home country.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued the order, extending an emergency restraining order granted over Labor Day weekend by Judge Sparkle Sooknanan. The initial order halted the deportation of 70 minors, aged 10 to 17, who were woken in the middle of the night and transferred to a plane bound for Guatemala while in Health and Human Services custody.

Kelly, a Trump appointee, expressed skepticism about the deportations during a hearing last week, pointing to declarations from minors who feared harm if returned. “It goes without saying that makes that irreparable harm,” Kelly said.

The judge also cited a report from the Guatemalan attorney general’s office, submitted by plaintiffs, which stated that no parents had requested the return of their children. The report was in response to notifications from the Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement about plans to repatriate over 600 minors. Department of Justice attorney Sarah Welch said she had no evidence to contradict the report but noted some children expressed interest in returning home.

The lawsuit, filed by attorneys for the minors, argued that some of the youths have pending asylum cases or other legal claims not yet fully reviewed by courts. The Trump administration could appeal the decision.