Two U.S. citizen children, a 4-year-old boy with Stage 4 cancer and his 7-year-old sister, were reportedly sent on their mother’s deportation flight to Honduras without the chance to consult attorneys. Detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in El Paso, Texas, the children were promptly deported, leaving the boy without necessary medication for his cancer treatment. Attorney Gracie Willis from the National Immigration Project highlighted that legal teams were in the process of preparing a habeas corpus petition prior to the children’s sudden deportation.
Erin Hebert, the family’s attorney, condemned the action as “illegal, unconstitutional, and immoral,” criticizing the speed and secrecy of the deportation. This incident aligns with broader concerns about the treatment of U.S. citizens and due process rights, particularly among immigration advocates who have raised alarms over cases involving mistaken detentions and procedural missteps by ICE.
Both children’s fathers reside in the U.S., yet the mothers were inaccessible to family or lawyers during their detention. Reports indicated that the mothers felt coerced into taking their children with them. The National Immigration Project accused ICE of violating its own policies regarding the care of minor children during deportations.
Following the incident, some officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, acknowledged the children’s citizenship but asserted that their deportation was justified as their mothers were in the U.S. illegally. Rubio stated that the children can return to the U.S. independently. However, Willis criticized the narrative presented by the authorities, calling it a misleading portrayal of the mothers’ choices. The families are currently processing the events while grappling with the implications of these deportations on their children.
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