Guatemala Claims It Requested Return of Migrant Children from US
Federal judge temporarily blocks deportation of unaccompanied minors
The Guatemalan government has stated it proposed the return of unaccompanied Guatemalan migrant children from the United States. This announcement came on August 31, 2025, the same day a U.S. federal judge temporarily blocked the deportation of these minors. Guatemala claims it made this suggestion to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during her visit to the country, though the statement contains a discrepancy about the timing of Noem's visit.
According to Guatemala's statement, the government sought to prevent children from remaining in U.S. shelters and detention centers, preferring to reunify them with their families in Guatemala. The government indicated plans to identify each child's needs and include them in social programs upon their return. Guatemala asserted that all actions taken regarding these unaccompanied minors have respected their human rights and followed due process.
KEY POINTS
- •Judge blocks deportation of minors
- •Guatemala claims it requested returns
- •Legal battle over children's rights
During Secretary Noem's June 2025 visit to Guatemala, she and Guatemalan Interior Minister Francisco Jimenez signed several agreements. These included a potential arrangement allowing non-Guatemalans to seek asylum in Guatemala instead of the United States. The Department of Homeland Security has not yet responded to inquiries about whether Guatemala suggested returning unaccompanied minors during Noem's visit.
Attorneys representing the Guatemalan children dispute the claim that their rights have been respected in this process. The National Immigration Law Center, representing some of the children, contends that attempting to deport them before completing their asylum claims violates both federal laws and the U.S. Constitution. A U.S. district court has issued a Temporary Restraining Order preventing the removal of unaccompanied Guatemalan minors in U.S. custody for 14 days.
The situation highlights ongoing tensions in U.S. immigration policy under the Trump administration, which began its second term in January 2025. The National Immigration Law Center has committed to continuing its defense of the Guatemalan children's right to remain in the United States while their cases proceed through the legal system.