Another federal judge has thrown a wrench into the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement plans, stopping the deportation of unaccompanied Guatemalan minors just as the Labor Day weekend unfolded in 2025.
The Washington Examiner reported that a Biden-appointed judge blocked the return of dozens of these children to Guatemala, sparking frustration from Trump officials who argue this is about family reunification, not cold-hearted removal.
This saga kicked off when the plan to send these children back, coordinated with the Guatemalan government, was first reported in late August 2025, potentially affecting over 600 kids in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
By Friday, August 30, 2025, Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, was already sounding the alarm, penning a letter to ORR’s interim director demanding the program’s end.
Then, on Sunday, September 1, 2025, U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan issued a temporary order halting the deportations for at least 14 days after lawyers for 10 of the children filed an emergency lawsuit.
The lawsuit claimed the administration failed to give these kids proper notice or a chance to contest their removal—a point that smells like progressive overreach to many conservatives who see this as bureaucratic stalling of common-sense policy.
Complying with the judge’s ruling, the Trump administration deplaned dozens of children set to depart and returned them to ORR custody, a move that surely grates on those who prioritize swift action over endless litigation.
The Justice Department defended the plan on the same day, asserting in court that the returns were legal, requested by both the Guatemalan government and the children’s guardians.
“The government of Guatemala has requested the return of these children,” said DOJ lawyer Drew Ensign, framing this as a cooperative effort—yet somehow, critics still paint it as heartless.
Ensign also called the removals “repatriations” rather than statutory deportations, adding it was “outrageous” that plaintiffs were meddling in family reunifications—a zinger that cuts through the sanctimonious fog of left-leaning opposition.
Judge Sooknanan herself seemed torn, admitting, “I have conflicting narratives from both sides here.” Her hesitation highlights the messy intersection of law and emotion, where policy clarity often gets drowned out by ideological noise.
Meanwhile, the Guatemalan government confirmed on September 1, 2025, that it partnered with the U.S. to bring these unaccompanied minors back to their families, a detail that undercuts the narrative of cruelty pushed by some activists.
On Tuesday, the case shifted from Judge Sooknanan, who only handled it over the holiday weekend, to U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee—perhaps a flicker of hope for those rooting for a more balanced ruling.
Let’s not forget the bigger picture: these unaccompanied children, defined as under 18 with no legal status or guardian in the U.S., often arrive at the border alone and linger in ORR custody, a situation that begs for resolution rather than perpetual