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Judge Rules Over 600 Unaccompanied Guatemalan Children Can Stay in the U.S.

HeadlineSep 02, 2025

The Trump administration tried to deport over 600 unaccompanied Guatemalan children over Labor Day weekend, but a federal judge temporarily halted their removal, ruling the action was unlawful. The National Immigration Law Center filed an emergency request to stop the deportation flights, saying the children “face abuse, neglect, persecution, or torture” if deported to Guatemala. As the children were loaded onto planes in Texas and waiting on the tarmac, U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan was woken at 2:35 a.m. to address the case. She later issued a 14-day restraining order allowing the children to stay in the U.S., for now, to challenge their removal. We’ll have more on this story after headlines.

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