Latest news with #GracieWillis
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Deported 2-year-old's family dropping lawsuit against Trump administration
The attorneys for the family of a 2-year-old deported to Honduras with her mother said Tuesday they would drop their lawsuit against the Trump administration. A federal judge previously sounded the alarm over the child's removal citing a lack of 'meaningful process.' 'Given the traumatizing experiences the families have been through, they are taking a step back to have full discussions about all their options, the safety and well-being of their children, and the best ways to proceed so the harms they have suffered can be fully addressed,' Gracie Willis, one of the family's lawyers, told The Associated Press. The American Civil Liberties Union, National Immigration Project and several other groups were representing the family members, who said they want 'space and time to consider all the options that are available to them.' The family's lawyers previously argued that the child's father wanted the young girl to remain in the United States where she held citizenship. The Trump administration's attorneys said the mother wanted the child removed with her alongside her other siblings. The government said her request was documented in a note written in Spanish, as reported by Politico, but a federal judge said it would have to be verified. 'The Government contends that this is all okay because the mother wishes that the child be deported with her. But the Court doesn't know that,' U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, an appointee of President Trump, wrote in court filings. For now, the two remain in the Central American country where they were released by federal immigration authorities. The family will forgo a hearing slated for later this week where Doughty would have further inquired about legality of the child's removal. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Deported 2-year-old's family dropping lawsuit against Trump administration
The attorneys for the family of a 2-year-old deported to Honduras with her mother said Tuesday they would drop their lawsuit against the Trump administration. A federal judge previously sounded the alarm over the child's removal citing a lack of 'meaningful process.' 'Given the traumatizing experiences the families have been through, they are taking a step back to have full discussions about all their options, the safety and well-being of their children, and the best ways to proceed so the harms they have suffered can be fully addressed,' Gracie Willis, one of the family's lawyers, told the Associated Press. The American Civil Liberties Union, National Immigration Project and several other groups were representing the family, which said they want 'space and time to consider all the options that are available to them.' The family's lawyers previously argued that the child's father wanted the young girl to remain in the United States where she held citizenship. The Trump administration's attorneys said the mother wanted the child removed with her alongside her other siblings. The government said her request was documented in a note written in Spanish, as reported by Politico, but a federal judge said it would have to be verified. 'The Government contends that this is all okay because the mother wishes that the child be deported with her. But the Court doesn't know that,' U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, an appointee of President Trump, wrote in court filings. For now, the two remain in the Central American country where they were released by federal immigration authorities. The family will forego a hearing slated for later this week where Doughty would have further inquired about legality of the child's removal.
The Independent
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Family of US-born child deported to Honduras drops lawsuit against Trump administration
Lawyers for a 2-year-old U.S. citizen who was deported with her mother to Honduras said on Tuesday that the family was lifting its lawsuit against the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. The girl -– one of three U.S.-born children who were deported alongside their Honduran-born mothers -– had been at the heart of one of the mounting legal battles playing out in the United States weighing if the Trump administration broke the law in implementing its new deportation policies. 'Given the traumatizing experiences the families have been through, they are taking a step back to have full discussions about all their options, the safety and well-being of their children, and the best ways to proceed so the harms they have suffered can be fully addressed,' said Gracie Willis, one of the family's lawyers. The lawsuit was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, National Immigration Project and several other allied groups, which said the deportations were a 'shocking — although increasingly common — abuse of power.' Willis and the group of lawyers had argued that the families did not have a fair opportunity to decide whether they wanted the children to stay in the United States. Willis said the family of the 2-year old girl and their lawyers jointly decided to dismiss the case to give the family 'space and time to consider all the options that are available to them.' A federal judge in Louisiana had raised questions about the girl's deportation, saying the government did not prove it had done so properly. The Honduran-born mother — who is pregnant — was arrested in April on an outstanding deportation order along with the girl and her 11-year-old Honduran-born sister during a check-in appointment at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in New Orleans, lawyers said. The family lived in Baton Rouge. Lawyers for the girl's father insisted he wanted the girl to remain with him in the U.S., while ICE said the mother had wanted the girl to be deported with her to Honduras. In a court filing, lawyers for the father said ICE indicated that it was holding the girl in a bid to induce the father to turn himself in. U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty in Louisiana had scheduled a hearing for the case later this week, saying it was 'in the interest of dispelling our strong suspicion that the Government just deported a U.S. citizen with no meaningful process."
Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Family of US-born child deported to Honduras drops lawsuit against Trump administration
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Lawyers for a 2-year-old U.S. citizen who was deported with her mother to Honduras said on Tuesday that the family was lifting its lawsuit against the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. The girl -– one of three U.S.-born children who were deported alongside their Honduran-born mothers -– had been at the heart of one of the mounting legal battles playing out in the United States weighing if the Trump administration broke the law in implementing its new deportation policies. 'Given the traumatizing experiences the families have been through, they are taking a step back to have full discussions about all their options, the safety and well-being of their children, and the best ways to proceed so the harms they have suffered can be fully addressed,' said Gracie Willis, one of the family's lawyers. The lawsuit was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, National Immigration Project and several other allied groups, which said the deportations were a 'shocking — although increasingly common — abuse of power.' Willis and the group of lawyers had argued that the families did not have a fair opportunity to decide whether they wanted the children to stay in the United States. Willis said the family of the 2-year old girl and their lawyers jointly decided to dismiss the case to give the family 'space and time to consider all the options that are available to them.' A federal judge in Louisiana had raised questions about the girl's deportation, saying the government did not prove it had done so properly. The Honduran-born mother — who is pregnant — was arrested in April on an outstanding deportation order along with the girl and her 11-year-old Honduran-born sister during a check-in appointment at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in New Orleans, lawyers said. The family lived in Baton Rouge. Lawyers for the girl's father insisted he wanted the girl to remain with him in the U.S., while ICE said the mother had wanted the girl to be deported with her to Honduras. In a court filing, lawyers for the father said ICE indicated that it was holding the girl in a bid to induce the father to turn himself in. U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty in Louisiana had scheduled a hearing for the case later this week, saying it was 'in the interest of dispelling our strong suspicion that the Government just deported a U.S. citizen with no meaningful process.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Family of 2-year-old deported US citizen dismisses suit against Trump administration
The family of the 2-year-old U.S. citizen who was deported with her mother to Honduras last month, voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit against the Trump administration, one of the attorneys who represents the family told ABC News. "Given the traumatizing experiences the families have been through, they are taking a step back to have full discussions about all their options, the safety and well-being of their children, and the best ways to proceed so the harms they have suffered can be fully addressed," attorney Gracie Willis said. "They are voluntarily dismissing this case to give themselves space and time to consider all the options that are available to them," she added. Last month, a federal judge said he had a strong suspicion that the Trump administration deported a 2-year-old U.S. citizen to Honduras "with no meaningful process." MORE: Trump administration deported 2-year old US citizen 'with no meaningful process,' judge says The U.S. citizen, identified in the filings as "V.M.L," was initially detained with her mother and sister, who both lacked legal status to be in the United States, at a routine immigration check-in in New Orleans last month. After the father of the 2-year-old learned that his family was detained, his lawyer called immigration officials to inform them that V.M.L. is a U.S. citizen and could not be deported, according to court documents. Before the court responded to the habeas petition and a motion for a temporary restraining order, the 2-year-old, along with her mother and sister, were deported to Honduras, according to court filings. In response to the motion, lawyers with the Department of Justice said it was in the best interest of the minor that she remain in legal custody of her mother and that she was not at "risk of irreparable harm because she is a U.S. citizen." U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty had scheduled a hearing in the case for May 16. "The ACLU dropped its lawsuit on the false claims that DHS deported a U.S. citizen," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Saturday. MORE: Video Trump faces tough questions over upholding the US constitution "The truth is, and has always been, that the mother -- who was in the country illegally -- chose to bring her 2-year-old with her to Honduras when she was removed. The narrative that DHS is deporting American children is false and irresponsible," she added. Family of 2-year-old deported US citizen dismisses suit against Trump administration originally appeared on
