A dramatic late-night legal fight unfolded in the United States over the deportation of Guatemalan children, as a federal judge temporarily stopped flights that had already boarded minors bound for Central America.
The order came in the early hours of September 1, 2025, just as government planes prepared to leave Texas for Guatemala City.
The children were being sent back under the Trump administration’s strict immigration enforcement measures, but lawyers argued that the expulsions violated U.S. law and exposed vulnerable minors to serious risks.
The judge’s ruling halted the deportations with the youngsters still on board, setting off an unusual confrontation that played out between airport runways and a Washington courtroom.
At Guatemala’s La Aurora International Airport, families waited anxiously for their loved ones as news of the legal block reached them.
Many had prepared to receive children who were instead held back in the United States until the case could be reviewed.
This latest dispute highlights the ongoing clash between federal enforcement policies and legal protections passed by Congress for migrant children.
The episode underscores the tensions at the heart of U.S. immigration policy, where humanitarian concerns continue to collide with strict border control strategies.