A federal judge in Louisiana, Terry Doughty, expressed concerns over the deportation of a 2-year-old U.S. citizen, identified as VML, who was sent to Honduras with her mother without adequate due process. In a court order, Judge Doughty questioned whether the mother’s consent for the deportation was fully informed. The 2-year-old, born in Baton Rouge, was deported despite a custody request from her father, who resides in the U.S. and was prepared to care for her.
The mother, originally from Honduras, and her two daughters were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New Orleans while attending a routine check-in on May 16. The court learned that the mother was already on a flight to Honduras shortly after the judge initiated inquiries about the situation. Doughty’s order for a hearing aims to investigate the government’s actions, as there is a “strong suspicion” that they were expediently deporting a U.S. citizen without appropriate legal processes.
The mother had previously been released from ICE detention under an “Intensive Supervision Appearance Program,” but lawyers opposing the deportation emphasized that sending VML to Honduras infringes her constitutional rights. Meanwhile, government attorneys argued that the mother had legal custody and had indicated in a letter her intention to travel with her daughter. This letter, dated prior to their deportation, stated, “I will take my daughter … with me to Honduras.”
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE have not publicly responded to inquiries regarding this incident. A hearing has been scheduled for next month to further investigate the circumstances surrounding the deportation.
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