On August 30, 2025, over Labor Day weekend, the nation witnessed a deeply troubling episode: 76 unaccompanied Guatemalan children, some as young as 10 years old, were awakened at immigration shelters in the middle of the night and placed on planes in Harlingen and El Paso, Texas for deportation against their will and without due process. Thanks to emergency legal action, these children were ultimately spared a return to the dangerous, life-threatening conditions they fled. But the attempted removals by the US government underscore the fragility of protections especially for young migrants under this administration and the urgent need for advocacy. On September 18, 2025, U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily protects all of the nearly 700 Guatemalan children in the custody of the US government’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) from abrupt deportation. However, there are indications that the government is now seeking to deport an estimated 300-400 Honduran and 100 Salvadoran children not protected by this latest injunction.

IILA Refugee and Immigrant Emergency Fund

At International Institute of Los Angeles (IILA), we are profoundly alarmed by the threats to Guatemalan children over Labor Day weekend and the lingering threats to other children. It is not only a legal issue but a deeply humanitarian one. The children affected are among the most vulnerable—many fleeing abuse, violence, and persecution. Many of these children are survivors of human trafficking or victims of abuse and neglect. Some have standing death threats from gang members or fear other forms of persecution if they were to return to their home countries. To subject them to abrupt deportations in denial of their legal rights risks retraumatizing them and violating their fundamental human rights.

For more than a century, IILA has stood alongside immigrant families and children in Southern California. We know first-hand how sudden enforcement actions can unravel years of healing and progress for young people. 

Cambria Tortorelli, President and CEO of IILA, shared this reflection: 

“The attempted deportation of Guatemalan children over Labor Day weekend was a chilling reminder of how quickly vulnerable young lives can be upended under the Trump administration. These and all children in immigration shelters deserve safety, compassion, and a fair chance to present their case—not a rushed midnight removal by the very government that has a legal obligation to them. At IILA, we are committed to ensuring that no child served by our legal counsel faces the immigration system alone and that every young person receives the legal and social support they need to thrive.” 

Valerie Herrera Corey, Senior Director of IILA’s Immigration Legal Services Division, added: 

“Our team sees every day how complex these cases are and how critical it is for children to have access to legal representation. These youth are not statistics—they are human beings with stories of survival, resilience, and hope. Attempting to deport them in the middle of the night or any other time, without the chance to fully present their cases, undermines the very foundations of justice. At IILA, we will continue to fight to ensure their rights are upheld.” 

In the days leading up to the attempted deportations, IILA and other organizations representing these children, heard troubling rumors of the imminent removals. Two of our clients were reportedly on the list of those likely to be targeted. Herrera Corey and her team rushed to give our clients Know Your Rights presentations to equip them as much as possible and remained on call in case the worst happened. One client feared returning home would expose him to gang violence and serious personal harm. Thankfully, our clients were not subject to the abrupt early–morning wakeups and terror of being immediately told to pack a bag. Yet, like all of the Guatemalan, Honduran, and Salvadoran children under the custody of the US Office of Refugee Resettlement, their futures remain uncertain. 

These near deportations and new threats of removal highlight why organizations like IILA are so essential. Our attorneys, case managers, and social workers work every day to ensure children: 

• Receive legal representation so their cases are heard fairly. 

• Have safe placements instead of facing detention or deportation. 

• Access mental health support to cope with trauma from their countries of origin, as well as their migration and displacement journeys. 

Every child deserves a chance to grow up in safety, with dignity, and with hope for the future.

This crisis will not be the last. As policies shift and enforcement actions intensify, the work of IILA—and all immigrant rights advocates—remains critical. We stand ready to fight for the children who cannot fight for themselves, to amplify their voices, and to ensure the promise of due process endures.