Two Honduran mothers, deported alongside their American citizen children, experienced severe restrictions in coordinating the care and custody of their offspring before being sent away. According to Gracie Willis, an attorney representing one of these families, both women were held in complete isolation without access to legal counsel or family members. They were also denied the chance to transfer custody of their children to alternative caregivers within the United States. The situation has drawn criticism from civil rights groups and lawmakers, who argue that the process did not allow the parents to make informed decisions about their children's futures.
In a harrowing scenario, one mother, accompanied by her seven-year-old and four-year-old daughters—both US citizens—was unable to secure proper medical care for her youngest child, who suffers from a rare form of late-stage cancer. Another pregnant woman was similarly deported with her 11-year-old and two-year-old daughters, despite frantic efforts by the children’s father and designated caretaker to reach them. These events unfolded after routine check-ins with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New Orleans, where both families were detained and transported far from the city, cut off from communication with loved ones.
Each year, countless immigrant parents face difficult choices regarding their US citizen children when faced with deportation orders. However, the recent high-profile cases highlight how rushed deportations can strip parents of meaningful decision-making abilities. Legal proceedings concerning VML, the two-year-old toddler involved, have raised judicial concerns over the legality and fairness of the process. Despite emergency motions filed by attorneys, the Trump administration maintains that all procedures followed due process.
The circumstances surrounding VML’s deportation are particularly contentious. Her father attempted desperately to contact his partner and retrieve his daughter before the deportation. On April 22, VML’s mother attended her ICE check-in appointment, bringing along her children. When the father later learned of their detention, he struggled to communicate with them, hearing only cries before the call abruptly ended. Authorities pointed to a handwritten letter purportedly signed by the mother, stating her intention to take VML to Honduras. Yet, lawyers contest this claim, arguing that the mother was never given the opportunity to coordinate VML’s release to a chosen US citizen custodian.
Before their deportation, both families had consistently complied with ICE requirements for regular check-ins. VML’s mother initially arrived at the US southern border under the “Remain in Mexico” program, which mandated asylum seekers wait south of the border during case processing. After facing kidnapping in Mexico, she and her then-younger daughter eventually returned to the US, adhering to check-in obligations for approximately four years. Meanwhile, the second mother entered as an unaccompanied minor, receiving deportation orders after missing a hearing she was unaware of due to lack of summons.
Judicial scrutiny continues as a federal district judge questions the legitimacy of deporting a US citizen without substantial procedural safeguards. As hearings proceed, the broader implications of these actions resonate deeply, emphasizing the need for reform in how such cases are handled to ensure parental rights and child welfare are adequately protected.