A federal judge in Louisiana has raised serious concerns about the deportation of a 2-year-old American citizen, identified as VML. The judge, Terry Doughty, stated that VML appears to have been deported without proper legal process. This incident highlights ongoing criticisms of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, which have been accused of rushing deportations without due consideration.
VML was deported to Honduras along with her mother and sister, even as the court sought to clarify her citizenship status. Judge Doughty has scheduled a hearing for May 16 to address the situation and investigate the circumstances surrounding the deportation. He expressed strong suspicion that a U.S. citizen was removed from the country without any meaningful legal process.
The judge attempted to contact the family during the deportation process but learned that they were already in transit. He noted that the government claimed the mother wanted to take her child with her, but the court questioned the validity of that assertion.
According to a lawsuit filed on behalf of VML, she and her family were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a routine check-in. The family had been attending a meeting related to the mother’s Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, which is designed as an alternative to detention for undocumented immigrants.
Details about what prompted the deportation proceedings remain unclear. VML’s father was informed of the custody situation only after the meeting began, and he was allowed to speak to his partner for just a minute before the deportation.
The lawsuit alleges that ICE agents denied the father information about his family’s whereabouts and limited his communication with them. He reportedly heard his daughters and partner crying during their brief conversation.
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security defended its actions, claiming that the parents chose to take their child with them to Honduras. However, this has raised further questions, especially since the father remains in the United States.
This troubling case is not isolated. Recently, another man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was wrongfully deported to El Salvador due to an administrative error. These incidents reflect broader concerns about the deportation process under the current administration, with many advocating for more careful consideration of individual cases and the rights of those involved.