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By Robert Birsel and Shane Croucher
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A federal judge in Arizona blocked the Trump administration from immediately deporting dozens of Guatemalan and Honduran children who came to the U.S. alone, over concerns about a lack of preparation for their return to the Central American states.
Newsweek contacted the White House by email to seek comment.
Why It Matters
The setback for the Trump administration underscores the legal and practical challenges it faces in undertaking its promise of mass deportations of illegal immigrants from the U.S., a cornerstone policy of the White House.
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The Thursday decision by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Márquez in Tucson, Arizona, came in response to the administration’s attempt over the Labor Day weekend to deport several hundred Guatemalan minors living in government-run shelters and foster care facilities.
What To Know
Márquez granted a preliminary injunction against the deportations of 69 children aged between three and 17. Fifty-seven of them are Guatemalan and 12 are Honduran.
The lawsuit was filed on their behalf by the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project.
“The foundation of Defendants’ argument for their authority to transport Plaintiffs out of the United States is that Defendants are reuniting Plaintiff Children with parents abroad, but counsel could not identify a single instance of coordination between a parent and any government—American or Guatemalan,” Márquez wrote.
The ruling extends the protection for the children living in shelters or foster care after Márquez issued a temporary restraining order over the Labor Day weekend. That order was meant to keep the children from being removed until at least Sept. 26.
Last month, the administration notified shelters—where migrant children traveling alone initially live after they cross the U.S.-Mexico border—that they were going to take them back to Guatemala and that they must be ready in a matter of hours.
Many children got as far as boarding planes in Texas on the morning of Aug. 31 and were set to depart to Guatemala.
On Sept. 18, U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly blocked the administration from immediately deporting Guatemalan migrant children who entered the U.S. alone.
The Trump administration says it is trying to reunite children with their families, which is in the best interests of the children, at the behest of the Guatemalan government.
What People Are Saying
The Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project said in a statement on September 2: “We are deeply concerned by the government’s attempts to remove children to Guatemala who are here alone and unable to advocate for themselves…Make no mistake–the government’s actions are targeting vulnerable children. We call on every single person in this country to stand up and speak out to protect these children.”
What Happens Next
The Arizona lawsuit asked that the government be ordered to give the children the chance to present their cases and have access to legal counsel. It also asked that the children be placed in the least restrictive setting that is in their best interest.
Update 9/26/2025 3:20 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to include more information.
This article uses reporting by The Associated Press.
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