Trump Administration Returns Guatemalan Man After Court Orders

The Trump administration has returned a Guatemalan man known as O.C.G. to the United States after a federal judge ruled that his February 2025 deportation to Mexico violated due process, as he faced serious danger in both Mexico and Guatemala. Despite initial claims by the Justice Department that O.C.G. had no fear of returning to Mexico, it was later admitted that this was incorrect, and O.C.G. had been kidnapped, raped, and threatened due to his sexual orientation. Judge Brian Murphy ordered the Department of Homeland Security to facilitate O.C.G.'s return, which was completed via commercial flight to Arizona, where he is now detained while awaiting asylum proceedings. The Department of Homeland Security criticized the judge's ruling, calling it an abuse of the asylum system and defending Mexico as a safe third country. This case marks the first successful return following a judge's order under the Trump administration and highlights ongoing judicial oversight of immigration enforcement practices. O.C.G.'s legal team emphasized that he was denied proper legal process and was sent to Mexico without the required protections, leading to his subsequent hardships.