Unprecedented Repatriation of Over 600 Guatemalan Children in US Government Custody Proposed by Trump Administration

The U.S. government is planning to send back approximately 600 Guatemalan children, currently in federal custody after arriving unaccompanied, according to informed sources familiar with the matter. This initiative, described as unprecedented in scope, involves transferring these children to Guatemala where they are expected to reunite with their families.

The move is part of a series of actions taken since President Donald Trump’s return to office regarding unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S., specifically targeting those from Guatemala. The plan involves removing these kids from government custody, where they are temporarily housed while awaiting release to relatives or guardians in the country who can provide care as they pursue their protection cases.

Sources report that over 600 Guatemalan children under the care of the Health and Human Services Department are being considered for possible deportation as part of a pilot program coordinated with the Guatemalan government. The children, ranging in age, may not have parents in the U.S., though they could have relatives here.

The specific immigration process to be used for removing these children is unclear, though discussions have included voluntary departure.

Within the administration, these removals are being referred to as repatriations instead of deportations, according to sources. However, advocates and former officials express concern about the children’s understanding of their removal given that many do not have lawyers.

Typically, children in custody are not proactively offered the option for voluntary departure, and those requesting it need approval from an immigration judge. Immigration courts serve as a protective mechanism ensuring the child understands the implications, is making the decision freely, and isn’t being put in harm’s way.

At present, there are nearly 2,000 children in federal care, with most of the unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the southern border hailing from Guatemala, Honduras, or El Salvador. The Health and Human Services Department and the Department of Homeland Security were contacted for comment, while the Guatemalan embassy declined to comment.

On Friday, Democratic Senator Ron Wyden sent a letter to the administration requesting more information on the planned repatriation of Guatemalan children and demanding its immediate termination, citing whistleblower accounts, as per the shared letter with CNN.

The letter states that these actions would violate federal law and the country’s long-established obligations to these children, who are often fleeing abuse and violence in their home countries.

Trump and his aides have been critical of migrant children released in the U.S., arguing they are at risk and unaccounted for, as well as commenting on the Biden administration’s handling of those children. Former Biden officials and several experts refute these claims.

The Trump administration has implemented various measures regarding migrant children, including conducting welfare checks, setting up additional hurdles for children in custody to be released to parents or relatives in the U.S., placing children in expedited immigration proceedings, interviewing children in custody, and having federal agents ask certain kids encountered during immigration enforcement operations if they want to voluntarily leave the country.

These policy changes stem from the belief among senior Trump officials that the existing vetting procedures are insufficient. As per White House border czar Tom Homan, the focus is on locating “thousands and thousands” of children trafficked into the country and releasing them to unvetted sponsors.

This week, federal field specialists were directed to halt all releases of Guatemalan children into the custody of certain sponsors, like relatives. They were also instructed to cease approvals of sponsors for Guatemalan children without parents in the U.S., according to guidance reviewed by CNN.

Child advocates argue that child safety should be a priority, especially when dealing with vulnerable migrant children. However, they contend that Trump administration policies may do more harm than good due to their stringent guidelines for releasing kids from custody.

Unaccompanied children residing in the U.S. are usually afforded special protections given their vulnerability. They are typically placed with family members already living in the U.S., but still considered unaccompanied as they entered the country alone. The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, which has been law for over two decades, provides protections for unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S., including screening them to determine if they are victims of human trafficking or have a credible fear of persecution in their home country.

Children from Mexico and Canada have been asked to voluntarily depart as part of the removal process along the southern border, but this hasn’t been the case for kids of other nationalities. It remains unclear how recent directives align with the protections outlined in law.