Federal Judge Halts Deportation of Unaccompanied Migrant Children

A federal judge temporarily blocked the deportation of 10 unaccompanied migrant children to Guatemala, citing potential violations of U.S. laws. The restraining order, issued on Sunday, came after the National Immigration Law Center filed a complaint on behalf of the children, aged 10-17.

Judge Sparkle Sooknanan ordered the Trump administration to halt the deportations for 14 days and called for an immediate hearing. The administration had struck an agreement with Guatemala permitting the removal of unaccompanied children, planning to start deportations over the weekend.

The lawsuit argues that deporting these children would violate protections provided by Congress. The Department of Homeland Security and Guatemala's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the case.

(With inputs from agencies.)