Without medical consultation Trump authority deports 3 children - including a girl with severe cancer
In Louisiana, three US children - including a girl with cancer - have been deported to Honduras together with their mothers. The case has triggered fierce criticism of the Trump administration's deportation practices.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- ICE deports three US children without trial - including a four-year-old cancer patient without medication.
- Lawyers and courts see evidence of massive violations of constitutional rights.
- The case is one in a series of harsh immigration measures by the Trump administration.
Three US children aged two, four and seven were deported by the immigration authorities ICE together with their mothers early on Friday morning. Among those affected is a four-year-old terminal cancer patient who was flown to Honduras without medication and without the ability to contact her doctors, family attorneys told TheWashington Post.
Both families were in the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP), which allows them to remain in the U.S. while their asylum cases are pending. However, during routine check-ins in New Orleans, they were detained, taken three hours away to Alexandria and put on a plane with no way to contact lawyers or relatives.
The incident reignites the debate about the legality of the Trump administration's accelerated deportations. Alanah Odoms from the ACLU Louisiana described the deportation of US citizens without trial as a "blatant violation of the constitution". The fact that seriously ill children are among those deported is particularly serious.
To date, there are no official figures on how many US citizens have been wrongly detained or deported by ICE. However, independent research shows that such cases number in the thousands since ICE was founded in 2003.
Department of Justice defends its actions
An emergency motion to release two-year-old V.M.L. was filed - but the child was deported to Honduras before the court opened. Federal Judge Terry A. Doughty, himself a Trump appointee, expressed concern about the deportation without the father's knowledge and consent. He scheduled a hearing for May 16, but has not yet ordered the child's return.
According to court documents, the children were deported in violation of basic procedural rights, writes the "Washington Post". Lawyer Gracie Willis criticizes that the mothers had no opportunity to calmly discuss their decision with lawyers or the children's fathers.
The Ministry of Justice defends the procedure by pointing to the mothers' alleged written consent. However, the lawyers doubt that these declarations of consent were obtained without pressure. The government does not dispute the children's US citizenship.
Public response characterized by outrage
In the wider context , the events fit in with Trump's radical immigration policy since he took office in 2025. His administration declared the border situation a national emergency, deployed troops, cut humanitarian protection programs and decided on mass deportations - including of migrants to Guantánamo.
While federal courts have already halted several of these measures, such as the attempt to abolish birthright citizenship, further lawsuits by civil rights groups are ongoing.
The public response to the deportation of US citizen children, especially the seriously ill four-year-olds, has been characterized by outrage. Many commentators speak of inhumane behavior and a low point in the USA's handling of its own fundamental rights.
