Three US citizen children, including a 4-year-old undergoing treatment for metastatic cancer, were deported to Honduras alongside their mothers last week, as reported by attorneys and civil rights groups. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Immigration Project highlighted this immigration action, which involved two separate cases: one mother took her 2-year-old child, while another took her 4- and 7-year-old children after both families were detained during routine check-ins under the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) in Louisiana.
Advocates for the families assert that these deportations illustrate the erosion of due process during the immigration crackdown associated with the Trump administration. In relation to the two-year-old’s case, officials claimed that the mother voluntarily chose to bring her child to Honduras, citing a disputed handwritten note in Spanish. However, Gracie Willis, a representative from the National Immigration Project, contended that the mother did not have a real choice in the matter, expressing concerns over the diminishing due process in such cases.
The 2-year-old, known in court records as V.M.L., was taken by ICE after their mother and an 11-year-old sister were detained while attending a routine appointment. Though a judge noted the mother was undocumented, he acknowledged the legality of deporting an American citizen and scheduled a hearing regarding the child’s status. Meanwhile, a second mother faced similar fate; after attending a check-in with her children, she was taken into custody, despite having prepared a stay of removal to prevent her family’s deportation.
Both mothers had prior removal orders issued in their absence, which will remain contentious among advocates asserting they were not present due to circumstances beyond their control. Despite claims from Trump’s border officials that the mothers willingly chose to deport themselves with their children, those involved have vehemently denied this.
As the 4-year-old continues to receive cancer care and the mothers have supportive family in the US, advocates are emphasising the gravity of these circumstances. Alanah Odoms from the ACLU voiced the broader implications of such actions, warning that if ICE can forcibly uproot these families, then the safety and rights of all residents could be in jeopardy.
The families’ legal representatives are actively challenging the circumstances surrounding these deportations, further underscoring issues of due process and the ethical treatment of vulnerable individuals within the immigration system.