Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Apr 27: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has sparked outrage following the deportation of several undocumented mothers and their US-born children, including a 4-year-old suffering from a rare form of cancer. Legal experts and advocacy groups are questioning the handling of these deportations, which many argue disregarded the rights of US citizen children.
In a series of controversial removals, three children, aged 2, 4, and 7, who are US citizens, were deported along with their undocumented mothers. One of the mothers, who is pregnant, was also removed along with her 2-year-old daughter. The deportations occurred despite protests from immigration rights organizations, who claim the removals were rushed and lacked proper legal procedures.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Immigration Project condemned the deportations, stating that families were separated without the mothers being allowed to consult with legal counsel or contact their families. “What we saw from ICE over the last several days is horrifying and baffling. Families have been ripped apart unnecessarily,” said Gracie Willis of the National Immigration Project.
A particularly concerning case involved the deportation of a 4-year-old girl with metastatic cancer, who was sent back to her home country without receiving medical treatment. “It’s an egregious violation of basic care protocols,” said the National Immigration Project. The group and other organizations have labeled these actions as 'illegal and inhumane.'
In one notable instance, a 2-year-old girl was deported to Honduras, despite her father's objections. US District Judge Terry Doughty has raised serious concerns about whether the child's US citizenship was fully considered in the process, noting, “The government contends that this is all okay because the mother wishes that the child be deported with her. But the court doesn’t know that.” A hearing is scheduled for May 16 to address these concerns and evaluate the legality of deporting a US citizen child without due process.
In Florida, Heidy Sanchez, a breastfeeding mother of a 1-year-old daughter with health issues, was detained during a routine ICE check-in in Tampa and deported to Cuba within just two days. Sanchez’s attorney, Claudia Canizares, criticized ICE for proceeding with the deportation despite strong humanitarian claims. "I think they’re following orders that they need to remove a certain amount of people by day and they don’t care," Canizares said.
These deportations come amid President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance on immigration, which has sparked fierce opposition from legal experts and human rights organizations. Trump has defended the actions of his administration, stating in a recent social media post, "We know who the criminals are, and we must get them out of the USA. -- and FAST!" He further argued that due process for millions of undocumented immigrants was impractical.
The Trump administration’s immigration policies have faced multiple legal challenges, with federal courts questioning whether proper procedures were followed in the deportation of US citizen children. The ongoing case has sparked a wider debate on executive overreach, the treatment of immigrant families, and the rights of US-born children in deportation proceedings.