Rubio Defends Deportation of U.S. Citizen Children Amid Controversy

Senator Marco Rubio and former ICE director Tom Homan have defended recent deportations in which three U.S. citizen children were removed from the country alongside their undocumented mothers, emphasizing that only the mothers were deported and the children accompanied them by family choice. Rubio called media reports suggesting the children themselves were deported 'misleading,' stating that U.S. citizen children retain the right to return to the United States if guardians are available. However, critics, including the ACLU, argue that these actions violate the due process rights of the children, especially highlighting the case of a 4-year-old with cancer who was deported without medication and access to doctors. Legal filings indicate that attempts by family members to have the children stay in the U.S. were unsuccessful, in part due to swift deportation timelines and threats of detention for other family members. Rubio and Homan assert that having a U.S. citizen child does not exempt undocumented parents from deportation, placing responsibility for the children’s situation on parental decisions. The controversy underscores ongoing debate over family unity, children's rights, and due process in U.S. immigration enforcement.