Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen correspondent: An Israeli drone strike targeted the town of Al-Qlailah, Southern Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strikes town of Harouf, Nabatieh district.
Factions' statement: The attendees agreed to support and continue implementing the ceasefire agreement measures, including the withdrawal of the occupation and lifting the siege.
Factions' statement: Calling for an end to all forms of torture and violations against prisoners in occupation prisons and the necessity of obligating the occupation to do so.
Statement: The current moment is crucial, making the meeting a true turning point toward national unity in defense of our people and their right to life, dignity, and freedom.
Factions' statement: Call for an urgent meeting of all Palestinian forces and factions to agree on a national strategy.
Factions' statement: Continuing joint work to unify visions and positions to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause.
Statement of the factions: Emphasis on the unity of the Palestinian political system and the independent national decision.
Statement: Approval to establish an international committee to oversee the financing and implementation of the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Statement: The committee is responsible for managing life and services in cooperation with Arab brothers and international institutions, based on transparency and accountability.

How ICE blocked mothers from securing custody of US citizen children

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Guardian
  • 29 Apr 2025 09:28
4 Min Read

Isolated, unheard, and rushed onto planes: Two immigrant mothers deported under Trump reveal the hidden trauma of family separation policies that left US citizen children powerless.

Listen
  • x
  • The Bluebonnet Detention Center is shown on Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Anson, Texas (AP Photo/Eli Hartman)
    The Bluebonnet Detention Center is shown on Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Anson, Texas (AP)

Two mothers deported to Honduras alongside their US citizen children were held in "complete isolation" and denied any opportunity to coordinate the care and custody of their children before being placed on a deportation flight, according to Gracie Willis, an attorney with the National Immigration Project, as reported by The Guardian.

The mothers were unable to contact attorneys or loved ones and were not offered the option to transfer custody of their citizen children to another parent or caregiver.

"Here we had moms held completely in isolation, being told what was happening to their children. They didn’t have an opportunity to talk this through, to weigh the pros and cons of taking or leaving their children in the US," Willis said.

Denied the chance to arrange custody

One mother, deported with her seven-year-old and four-year-old children, was unable to access medications and necessary care for her youngest, who is battling a rare form of late-stage cancer.

Another woman, who is pregnant, was deported with her 11-year-old and two-year-old daughters, despite efforts by the children’s father and a designated caretaker to intervene. "She’s in the early stages of a pregnancy and has undergone unimaginable stress," Willis said, describing the dangers faced by the family.

Both families were detained during routine Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) check-in appointments in New Orleans, transported far from the city, and prevented from communicating with family members.

Health risks and family separation

Related News

Venezuela launches coastal defense drills amid US military build-up

Trump imposes 10% tariff on Canada after controversial Ontario Ad

Each year, hundreds of thousands of immigrant parents with both a deportation order and US citizen children must decide whether to leave their children in the United States under the care of relatives or guardians or surrender them to Child Protective Services.

However, Willis emphasized that the mothers in these cases were not empowered to make real decisions regarding their families' futures. "There were no real decisions being made here, especially when those parents were not able to communicate with other available caregivers," she said.

Lawyers for VML, a two-year-old US citizen identified in court documents by her initials, filed an emergency motion to prevent her deportation. A federal district judge expressed a "strong suspicion that the government just deported a US citizen with no meaningful process."

A hearing in VML's case has been scheduled for 18 May. Meanwhile, the Trump administration maintains that the cases were handled legally and with due process.

Tom Homan, Trump’s former border czar, stated, "The children aren’t deported. The mother chose to take the children with her."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed Homan during an interview, suggesting, "I imagine those three US citizen children have fathers here in the United States. They can stay with their father. That’s up to their family to decide where the children go."

Government defends deportation practices

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to inquiries, as per the report. However, Willis noted that VML’s father had been trying to retrieve his daughter before the deportation occurred.

On April 22, VML’s mother brought her children to a scheduled ICE check-in. After an unusually long delay, the father learned that his partner and daughters had been detained. Attempts to communicate with them were brief and abruptly ended, preventing the family from arranging alternative custody.

The government claimed that a handwritten letter, allegedly written by the mother, indicated her consent to take her child to Honduras. However, the family's lawyers dispute the validity of that letter, arguing that genuine consent was impossible without proper communication and legal counsel.

Growing concern over ICE deportation abuses

Before their deportation, both families had been regularly complying with ICE orders.VML's mother had initially arrived at the southern US border during the "Remain in Mexico" program. After facing violence and kidnapping in Mexico, she returned to the United States and was released under the condition of regular check-ins.

The other woman deported with her children had previously entered the United States as an unaccompanied minor and received deportation orders after failing to appear at a hearing she was unaware of, due to not receiving a summons, according to Willis.

The cases have drawn widespread condemnation from civil rights organizations and lawmakers, highlighting the persistent concerns over ICE deportation abuses, family separation under Trump, and immigrant families' rights violations.

  • United States
  • US citizen children
  • ICE
  • Donald Trump
  • mass deportations

Most Read

From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Undated photo of Hanwha Ocean’s Goeje Shipyard in South Korea (Hanwha Ocean)
Politics

China counters US maritime bloc with sanctions on Hanwha Ocean

Catherine Connolly speaks after being after being elected as the new President of Ireland at Dublin Castle, Ireland, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Connolly wins Irish presidency in blow to political establishment

Buildings destroyed during the Israeli air and ground offensive are seen in the Al-Shati camp, in Gaza City, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (AP)
Politics

'Israel's' post-ceasefire demolitions in Gaza violate agreement: Hamas

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attends the 17th annual BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 7, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran’s Araghchi: Our nuclear bomb is resilience, not weapons

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS