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Two-year-old U.S. citizen deported to Honduras without due process, judge investigates

May 16, 2025 · New Orleans, LA, Honduras

V.M.L., a 2-year-old U.S. citizen born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on January 4, 2023, was detained by ICE on April 22, 2025, during a routine check-in at an Intensive Supervision Appearance Program office in New Orleans. She was apprehended alongside her undocumented mother and 11-year-old sister. When her father provided citizenship documents and his attorney filed emergency motions for habeas corpus and a temporary restraining order to prevent deportation, an ICE officer told the father they would deport his family anyway. The child and her mother were deported to Honduras on April 25, 2025, before the court could rule on the legal motions. The mother was held in an undisclosed location, cut off from family and counsel, and reportedly coerced into accepting deportation under duress. Federal Judge Terry Doughty expressed strong suspicion that the government deported a U.S. citizen "with no meaningful process" in violation of due process protections and scheduled a hearing for May 16 to investigate.

Timeline

May 16, 2025Federal Judge Terry Doughty expressed strong suspicion of improper removal and scheduled hearing to investigate whether U.S. citizen was deported without meaningful due process
Apr 25, 2025Child and mother deported to Honduras before court could rule on legal motions; mother held in undisclosed location, cut off from family and counsel
Apr 22, 2025V.M.L., a 2-year-old U.S. citizen, detained by ICE during routine check-in at Intensive Supervision Appearance Program office in New Orleans; apprehended with undocumented mother and 11-year-old sister
Apr 22, 2025Father provided citizenship documents to ICE; attorney filed emergency motions for habeas corpus and temporary restraining order; ICE officer told father they would deport family anyway

Sources

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