U.S. authorities, specifically ICE, have sent three American-born children, including one battling cancer, to Honduras upon the deportation of their mothers.
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In a shocking turn of events, three U.S. citizen children, including one critically ill, were deported to Honduras by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in April 2025. This unlawful deportation has led to a federal civil rights lawsuit, highlighting the severe consequences and hardships faced by these children and their families upon being sent back to their home country.
According to the lawsuit, ICE acted without due process, denying the families legal representation and communication prior to their deportation. The families were reportedly detained secretly and deported within one to two days, contravening ICE policies and federal law.
The critically ill child, a 5-year-old undergoing treatment for stage four kidney cancer, was one of the children deported. The lawsuit claims that the denial of the mother's ability to arrange for the care of her sick child interfered with his needed medical treatment.
The case is not an isolated incident. Julia, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, was denied access to an attorney when she and her children were detained by ICE and deported. Julia first arrived at the U.S. border in 2019 fleeing Honduras, after her daughter Janelle was kidnapped there. She and her family were forced to wait in Mexico under Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy before returning to the U.S. in August 2021.
New policies allow harsh measures against immigrant children, including indefinite detention and rapid deportation without court hearings, which conflict with child protection laws. Such policies have been criticized for causing long-term physical and psychological harm to children and undermining their legal rights.
Unaccompanied children are usually cared for under the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) guidelines until appropriately placed. However, challenges remain regarding adequate care and the effects on the children involved.
This controversy over the rights and treatment of U.S. citizen children in immigration enforcement, especially when medical needs and family separations are involved, continues to raise concerns. The parents were not given a choice regarding the deportation of their children, and the children were reportedly lied to about the nature of their appointments.
For further, up-to-date information on these incidents and related policy controversies, consider reviewing reports and press releases from organizations such as the National Immigration Project and legal firms involved in representing families, as well as official statements from ICE and the Department of Health and Human Services.
- The critically ill child, who was being treated for stage four kidney cancer, faced an interruption in his medical treatment due to the denial of the mother's ability to arrange for his care, following the unlawful deportation by ICE.
- The denial of legal representation and communication prior to deportation, as highlighted in the federal civil rights lawsuit, raises concerns about the health-and-wellness of deported children, especially those with medical conditions like cancer, and potentially violates child protection laws.
