Judge Questions Deportation of Two-Year-Old US Citizen to Honduras

A two-year-old girl, born in Louisiana and therefore a U.S. citizen, was deported to Honduras with her undocumented mother and sister following a routine ICE check-in, sparking intense legal and public scrutiny. Court documents reveal that despite the father's efforts to provide proof of his daughter's citizenship and request her release, ICE officials proceeded with the deportation, reportedly offering the mother only brief communication with the father before removal. Federal Judge Terry Doughty, appointed by Donald Trump, expressed deep concern over the lack of due process, noting that the government justified the deportation based on a handwritten note from the mother allegedly requesting her daughter accompany her, though the court has not verified this intent. Legal filings suggest potential violations of the child's constitutional rights, as she was deported without proper representation or a meaningful hearing. The judge has scheduled a hearing to investigate whether the government unlawfully deported a U.S. citizen and to clarify the circumstances around the mother's request. The case has left the child's father scrambling to reunite his family and highlights ongoing controversies over immigration enforcement and due process under the Trump administration.