Two families, including US citizen children, were deported from Louisiana to Honduras, raising concerns about due process. One child, suffering from cancer, was sent without medical care, leading to backlash against immigration policies.
US Citizen Children, Including One with Cancer, Deported to Honduras Amid Controversy
US Citizen Children, Including One with Cancer, Deported to Honduras Amid Controversy
Advocacy groups demand accountability after the deportation of three US citizen children, including a four-year-old with Stage 4 cancer, to Honduras under contentious circumstances.
Three young children, all US citizens, were deported to Honduras last week alongside their mothers amidst a wave of controversy, reported advocacy groups and family lawyers. Among the deported children is a four-year-old battling Stage 4 cancer, whose family claims he was sent without the necessary medication, raising alarm for his health and safety.
Tom Homan, the former border czar under Donald Trump, commented that the removal of these citizens was a parental decision, indicating the mothers chose to leave with their children despite their immigration status. "Having a US citizen child does not make you immune from our laws," Homan stated, emphasizing that the mothers were in the US illegally.
The deportation came from a Louisiana Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation that targeted two families, leading to their removal from the United States. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticized the situations of the families, arguing they were removed under “deeply troubling circumstances,” further accentuating due process concerns, especially regarding the child with cancer who lacked medical consultation during the process.
At a news conference, Homan expressed that deporting families together is preferable compared to separation. He argued that the children were not technically deported as US citizens, insisting that the decision was made by their parents. This stance was met with skepticism, particularly after a federal judge hinted that one two-year-old citizen may have been removed without sufficient legal process during immigration hearings.
Court documents show that one family was apprehended during a routine appointment at a New Orleans immigration office in April, prompting legal scrutiny. Homan defended the actions taken by the immigration system, claiming that due process had been administered in the preceding legal matters.
The ACLU's concern was amplified by a recent lack of communication from ICE, which left family members and attorneys unable to reach the detained families. As the federal government grapples with immigration policies, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted a crackdown on immigration, hinting at new executive orders and referencing recent ICE actions resulting in over a hundred arrests at a nightclub in Colorado Springs.
As deportations continue to escalate, legal hearings are set to examine whether families have been afforded their legal rights during such processes. The case has illuminated the challenging dynamics at play in immigration enforcement and the protection of citizen rights, particularly for vulnerable, young children.
