ICE deportation of citizen children and undocumented mothers raises concerns over due process, medical care, and child rights.
ICE Deports U.S. Citizen Children to Honduras
Three U.S. citizen children—ages 2, 4, and 7—were deported to Honduras on April 25 along with their undocumented mothers, triggering widespread criticism and legal scrutiny. According to Fox News, the deportation was carried out by the New Orleans branch of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without giving the families access to legal counsel or relatives beforehand.
ICE arrested the mothers, who are originally from Honduras, during scheduled office check-ins. The deportation occurred within three days of their detention, which immigration attorneys say violated standard legal protections.
Child with Cancer and Pregnant Mother Among Deportees
Among the deported children, a 4-year-old was reportedly undergoing treatment for a rare metastatic cancer. The child was removed from the country without receiving necessary medication or consulting with a physician. One of the deported mothers was pregnant and, according to reports, received no prenatal care before removal.
The families’ legal team and advocacy groups condemned the incident as a serious overreach of power. Terry Doughty, a federal judge in Louisiana, questioned the legality of deporting the 2-year-old citizen and has scheduled a hearing for May 16 to determine whether the action violated due process rights.
Civil Rights Groups Condemn ICE Action
Organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Immigration Project (NIP) issued a joint statement calling the deportations “shocking” and saying such actions have become “increasingly common examples of government overreach.”
White House Official Defends Decision
At a White House press briefing on April 28, Tom Homan, immigration policy advisor under President Donald Trump, defended the deportations. “The children were not deported; the mothers chose to leave with them,” he said. Homan added that ICE aimed to avoid separating families, noting, “Had we separated them, we would have been criticized for that too.”
Hearing Could Set Legal Precedent
The outcome of the May 16 hearing could influence future handling of mixed-status families and determine whether the government violated the constitutional rights of U.S. citizen children. Legal experts say the case could set a precedent on how immigration authorities handle deportations involving U.S. citizens.
BY BRIAN CHOI [ichoi@koreadaily.com]
