US Judge Blocks Expulsion of Guatemalan Children

Human Rights Watch reports that a federal judge in Washington, DC has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the removal of unaccompanied Guatemalan children, who were targeted by the Trump administration for summary expulsion. The judge's order came after children in shelters and foster care run by the US Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) were awoken in the middle of the night and put on planes bound for Guatemala. Lawyers for the children swiftly challenged the expulsions, and the federal judge temporarily halted the removals. The Trump administration's plan to "repatriate" 327 unaccompanied Guatemalan children, including some who were flagged for indicators of abuse in ORR's database, has been blocked.

Key Takeaways:

• A federal judge in Washington, DC issued a preliminary injunction blocking the removal of at least 76 unaccompanied Guatemalan children on September 18.
• The Trump administration attempted to summarily expel children in the middle of the night from shelters and foster care run by the US Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
• An estimated 600 to 700 Guatemalan children are in ORR custody, many of whom are Indigenous and entitled to full and fair removal proceedings under US law.
• None of the 327 children the Trump administration plans to repatriate had final removal orders from an immigration judge, and some have pending claims for asylum or other protections.
• A recent whistleblower complaint indicates that at least 30 of the 327 children ORR plans to remove were flagged in ORR's database for indicators of abuse, including gang violence and human trafficking.
• The judge's order blocks the removal of all unaccompanied Guatemalan children in ORR custody without final orders of removal from an immigration judge or permission from the US Attorney General.
• The Trump administration should end attempts to summarily expel children, and ORR should work to safely place children with family members or host families in the US.
• ORR should provide the children with care and protection, including access to legal and social support.

Statistics:

• At least 76 unaccompanied Guatemalan children were targeted for summary expulsion by the Trump administration.
• 327 unaccompanied Guatemalan children are planned to be repatriated by the Trump administration.
• An estimated 600 to 700 Guatemalan children are in US custody.
• At least 30 children scheduled for removal were flagged for indicators of abuse, including gang violence and human trafficking.

Sources:

• Human Rights Watch, "US Judge Blocks Expulsion of Guatemalan Children"
• Original text, https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/09/19/us-judge-blocks-expulsion-of-guatemalan-children