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16-year-old Elias deported to Guatemala without removal order, lawsuit filed

Apr 21, 2026 · Guatemala

16-year-old Elias deported to Guatemala without removal order, lawsuit filed

A 16-year-old identified as "Elias" in court filings was deported to Guatemala without a removal order or any attempt to obtain one, according to a pending lawsuit filed in the District of Columbia. His lawyers argue that "this removal was lawless: Defendants had no removal order for Elias, nor did they even attempt to obtain one." The case follows a similar pattern to Mario Mata Cruz's deportation and is part of a broader pattern documented by lawyers across the country of noncitizens being deported without final removal orders from immigration judges.

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