In a dramatic intervention over the Labor Day weekend, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. halted the deportation of hundreds of Guatemalan children, some of whom were already on planes awaiting removal from the United States. The ruling, which came late on August 31, 2025, has temporarily blocked a controversial pilot program by the Trump administration that aimed to swiftly return unaccompanied minors to their home country, raising urgent questions about the treatment of vulnerable migrant children and the future of U.S. immigration policy.
The case centers on a temporary restraining order issued by District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan, a Biden appointee, who responded to an emergency lawsuit filed by the National Immigration Law Center. According to Axios, the lawsuit was filed early Sunday morning to prevent the deportation of ten Guatemalan children, aged 10 to 17, who were reportedly hours away from being flown out of the country. The judge’s order not only stopped the removal of these ten children but also extended protections to hundreds of other unaccompanied minors identified for deportation under the administration’s new initiative.
“I have the government attempting to remove minor children from the country in the wee hours of the morning on a holiday weekend,” Judge Sooknanan remarked during the proceedings, as reported by Axios. “That’s surprising.” Her order prohibits deportations for at least 14 days, giving the children a chance to challenge their removal in court. The Justice Department confirmed in a Sunday evening status report that, as a result of the judge’s order, the affected children were “deplaned and are in the process of being returned” to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services.
The National Immigration Law Center, which brought the lawsuit, believes more than 600 Guatemalan children could be at risk of deportation as part of what it describes as a “first of its kind pilot program through an agreement negotiated with the Guatemalan government.” The organization argues that many of these children “face abuse, neglect, persecution, or torture” if returned to Guatemala. Efrén Olivares, a representative for the Center, said in a statement on Sunday, “In the dead of night on a holiday weekend, the Trump administration ripped vulnerable, frightened children from their beds and attempted to return them to danger in Guatemala. We are heartened the Court prevented this injustice from occurring before hundreds of children suffered irreparable harm.”
The lawsuit names as defendants the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Justice Department, Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Office of Refugee Resettlement, and the Department of Health and Human Services. According to congressional legislation from 2002, the ORR is responsible for the custody and care of unaccompanied minors apprehended by agencies such as ICE. As NPR notes, after HHS assumes care of these children, they are typically not allowed to be deported without receiving the benefit of full immigration proceedings.
This latest legal clash highlights the ongoing tensions between the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement strategies and the federal judiciary. In recent months, President Trump has repeatedly criticized judges who have blocked his administration’s deportation efforts. Back in March, he called for the impeachment of a federal judge who temporarily halted deportation flights to El Salvador for Venezuelans accused of gang ties. In June, the Supreme Court sided with the administration, allowing it to resume deportations of migrants to countries other than their place of origin. Still, the current case underscores the unique vulnerability of children caught up in these enforcement actions.
The pilot program at the heart of the lawsuit was negotiated directly with the Guatemalan government and, according to the National Immigration Law Center, involved identifying over 600 children for potential deportation. The suddenness of the attempted removals—over a holiday weekend and in the early morning hours—drew sharp criticism from advocates and the presiding judge alike. “We are talking about children who have fled danger and are now being sent back without due process,” said an attorney familiar with the case.
On the other side, the Trump administration and its supporters argue that the children should be reunited with their families in Guatemala. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, “The minors have all self-reported that their parents are back home in Guatemala. But a Democrat judge is refusing to let them reunify with their parents.” This argument, however, is strongly contested by immigration advocates, who stress the dangers many of these children face if returned and the importance of ensuring their cases are fully heard before any removal.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement now faces the immediate challenge of providing care and custody for the children who were nearly deported. According to congressional mandates, ORR must ensure the welfare of unaccompanied minors while their immigration cases proceed. Historically, these children have been entitled to full immigration proceedings before any removal, a safeguard that advocates say is essential to prevent wrongful deportations and potential harm.
The broader context of the case reflects a pattern of escalating legal and political battles over immigration in the United States. The Trump administration has made a series of moves to expedite deportations, particularly of unaccompanied minors and families, often citing national security and border control concerns. Critics argue that these policies have disproportionately affected children, exposing them to trauma and undermining established legal protections. According to ABC News, the National Immigration Law Center’s intervention may have prevented “irreparable harm” to hundreds of children who would otherwise have been removed without adequate review.
As the 14-day restraining order remains in effect, attention now turns to the courts, where the merits of the administration’s pilot program and the legal rights of the children will be debated. For now, the immediate threat of deportation has been averted, but the underlying issues—balancing border enforcement with humanitarian obligations—remain unresolved.
The developments over the Labor Day weekend serve as a stark reminder of the high stakes involved in U.S. immigration policy, especially for the most vulnerable. As legal proceedings continue, the fate of hundreds of Guatemalan children—and the broader direction of America’s approach to immigration—hangs in the balance.
