Overview

• U.S. District Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan issued a 14-day restraining order stopping the immediate repatriation of ten Guatemalan unaccompanied children in federal custody after late-night transfers toward flights from Texas were reported.
• During the emergency hearing, a DOJ lawyer said some children had been taken onto aircraft before the order, and the judge directed that they be returned to ORR facilities.
• The administration describes the removals as reunifications with parents or tutors in Guatemala, a characterization disputed by the children’s attorneys, who say many have active immigration cases and lack consenting relatives.
• Reports from CNN and lawmakers point to a broader pilot to return roughly 600 Guatemalan minors, with further court proceedings this week to determine next steps.
• Two days earlier, Judge Jia Cobb temporarily blocked the interior expansion of rapid deportations nationwide, finding the policy prioritizes speed and risks erroneous removals in violation of due process.