A U.S. federal judge temporarily halted the deportation of Guatemalan migrant children on Sunday, blocking a Trump administration plan that had already placed some children on flights back to Guatemala. The emergency ruling came after the National Immigration Law Center filed a motion in the early morning hours to stop the removal of 10 unaccompanied minors, ages 10 to 17. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan issued a 14-day restraining order affecting not only those 10 children but potentially hundreds of others in government custody.

By Sunday evening, government lawyers confirmed that the children had been taken off planes and returned to shelters managed by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The Trump administration, having reestablished an agreement with Guatemala, had intended to start deporting unaccompanied minors over the weekend. Officials claimed the children’s parents in Guatemala had requested their return, a claim disputed by attorneys representing the minors.

Advocates argued the deportations could violate federal protections for migrant children, potentially exposing them to abuse or persecution. One plaintiff was a 10-year-old indigenous girl who had lost her mother and previously suffered abuse. They warned that sending children back without thorough legal review could lead to serious harm.

The case drew swift political backlash. Trump advisor Stephen Miller and other conservatives accused the court of blocking family reunification, framing the decision as an example of political bias. Meanwhile, critics of the deportation plan described it as a rushed and dangerous effort to remove vulnerable children without due process.

The judge’s order paused the deportations as legal challenges continue, leaving the future of these children uncertain. The situation highlights the ongoing tensions in U.S. immigration policy, especially regarding how unaccompanied minors are treated under shifting administrations.