In the newest column, Let’s Understand, we will explain and become aware of the political climate surrounding us through current events. With new updates every month, we learn about debated issues handled today, told in a way that makes it easier to understand.
On August 31st, 2025, Trump and the U.S. government attempted to send over 600 kids that were previously in shelters or foster homes, back to Guatemala. The children Trump intended to remove were under the care of the Department of Health and Human Services Office, or the HHS. Through the HHS, when the children are unaccompanied by an adult or guardian they are granted the right to a thorough background check and legal proceedings to see if sending them back is in their best interest. In these proceedings, children have the opportunity to defend themselves to the government with a team of lawyers.
Regardless, Trump tried to fly the children back without proper court hearings or notifying them of the trials. While the government had not legally obtained the right to remove the children, there were reportedly already planes full of children being flown back to Guatemala. Lawyers like Becky Wolozin, a senior attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, argued the case was last minute, rushed, and felt like a “middle-of-the-night operation”.
Lawyers from the National Center for Youth Law along with the National Immigration Law Center are claiming that the actions of the Trump Administration is violating the rights of the children by not letting them know they would be sent back to Guatemala, further violating their right to due process in the court of law. Due process is a law that says the government must give notice and opportunity for a person to defend themselves in court before infringing on their rights. To counter and further delay the trial, the lawyers requested the district judge to file a temporary restraining order to prevent the children from being sent back, which was later approved.
There are essentially two sides to this active debate: the National Center for Youth Law along with the National Immigration Law Center versus the Trump Administration and the U.S. government. While the lawyers argue that this situation is a violation of the children’s right to due process and sending them back is putting the children at risk of “abuse, neglect, persecution, or torture”, the Trump administration claims that the Government of Guatemala and parents requested the return of the children and it is the best solution for all parties.
But the question stands, did the Government violate the children’s right to due process by not notifying the children or hearing their cases? If so, will the government or Trump himself be punished for these violations?
Unfortunately, these questions remained unanswered as the children’s cases are still actively being heard as to uphold their right to due process, the restraining order is still active preventing the children from being sent back, and the legality of Trump and the government’s actions are still being decided.
In a recent follow-up, the judges deciding the ruling on the children found the Trump Administration’s reasons to be faulty, not having any evidence. Specifically, their claim that the parents of the children have requested their return to Guatemala. This was not true. It was only a belief made by Trump and his team to defend his actions. But how could the government just make up points?
Here’s the main misunderstanding: The government of Guatemala had heard about the immigration detention centers that children were being sent to in the States and said that unaccompanied children who return “by judicial action or voluntarily” would be “received safely” for reunification with family. Essentially, if children were to be sent back through any circumstance, they would be returned to their parents safely. Key terms in the statement was the usage of “judicial action” or “voluntarily” in regards to how the children would be sent back to Guatemala. Neither of these actions was what Trump attempted to do. After hearing the statement, the Trump Admin gathered as many Guatemalan children that were “appropriate for reunification” as they could, meaning they were anyone that was unaccompanied and a minor, which came out to 609, and loaded them on planes to be flown out. All under the impression that the parents had personally requested their return.
What the Trump Admin was not aware of was the pure trauma these children had gone through and the reason for their immigration in the first place. Going back to Guatemala was never really an option because of the abuse and neglect that was waiting for the kids there. Many of the children, over Labor Day weekend when they heard they were being sent back to Guatemala, felt immense fear and dreaded going back.
In, Judge of the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia, Timothy Kelly’s final ruling, he barred the Trump Admin from transferring, removing, or otherwise facilitating the transport of any of the Guatemalan children on trial.
When discussing the hot topic of immigration, there are always many aspects to consider. It is one of the most important issues today and therefore should be cared about. Listening and learning about cases that happen everyday help broaden our world perspectives on something that is bigger than ourselves. Educating ourselves on the importance and complexities of immigration will help us become more socially aware and lead to future involvement in this topic. I urge you to go out and read articles about immigration stories and listen to the news the next time you flick through channels, there is always something to learn.
