U.S. Judge Extends Block On Deporting Guatemalan Unaccompanied Minors After DOJ Walk-Back

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., extended a block on the Trump administration’s plan to deport Guatemalan unaccompanied children with active immigration cases, keeping removals paused while the court reviews the dispute. Judge Timothy Kelly questioned DOJ after an attorney incorrectly claimed parents had requested the returns; that statement was later withdrawn following a Guatemalan AG report showing many parents could not be located and many did not consent. The Aug. 31 attempt to remove 76 children was halted by an emergency order, and Guatemalan officials said they were unprepared to receive such numbers at once. Most targeted children are from Indigenous, high-poverty regions (Huehuetenango, San Marcos, Quiche, Alta Verapaz).