Judge orders DHS to return 20-year-old with special legal status deported to Honduras
Apr 10, 2026 · Raleigh, NC, Honduras
DeportationCourt Order ViolationDetention ConditionsOfficer MisconductLitigationFamilyWork AuthorizationVehicle/Traffic StopSpecial Immigrant Juvenile StatusNorth Carolina

José Eliezer Martinez-Andino, a 20-year-old Honduran with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), was detained by ICE in March while driving through Montana and coerced into signing voluntary departure forms. He was deported to Honduras on April 10 despite having SIJS and deferred action status that should have protected him from removal. A federal judge ordered DHS to return him to the U.S., finding he was denied due process and not allowed access to his attorney for over 10 days.
Sources
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