2-Year-Old U.S. Citizen Appears To Have Been Deported ‘With No Meaningful Process’
The Trump administration is under fire for reportedly deporting a 2-year-old U.S. citizen without due process, according to a federal judge. The child, referred to as V.M.L., was deported along with her mother, Jenny Carolina Lopez Villela. U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty expressed concern over the lack of proper procedures in the deportation and scheduled a hearing for May 19 to address the issue.
Trish Mack, acting as the child’s custodian, stated that the father of V.M.L. had emphasized her U.S. citizenship and objected to her deportation. However, Villela, with legal custody, expressed her desire to take the child to Honduras. The Trump administration defended the deportation, stating that V.M.L. is not at risk and should remain with her mother.
The American Civil Liberties Union criticized the deportation as an abuse of power and a violation of ICE’s own directives regarding minor children. President Donald Trump’s stance on deporting U.S. citizens to El Salvador has raised constitutional concerns and sparked debate among civil rights advocates and legal scholars.
Despite protests and legal challenges, the Trump administration has deported individuals to El Salvador, including Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia. The Supreme Court has ordered his return, highlighting the ongoing controversy surrounding immigration policies.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
