A federal judge revealed that a two-year-old U.S. citizen was deported to Honduras with her mother, an undocumented immigrant, despite legal protections against deporting U.S. citizens. The deportation occurred after the mother, attending a routine ICE check-in, was taken into custody with the child and her 11-year-old sister. The child's family filed an emergency petition for her release, arguing that ICE had no legal authority to detain a U.S. citizen. The government claims the mother requested her daughter accompany her to Honduras, which the judge stated needs verification, and a hearing is set to address these issues. The father, who attempted to secure custody of his daughters through his sister-in-law, was obstructed by ICE, which stated that the child's placement with the mother was adequate and threatened custody action against him if he intervened further.

A two-year-old U.S. citizen, identified as V.M.L., was deported with her undocumented mother to Honduras, which raises legal concerns due to her citizenship status.

During a routine ICE check-in in New Orleans, the mother and her two daughters were detained, leading to their deportation despite the mother's expressed wish to keep custody of V.M.L. and take her to Honduras.

The family filed an emergency petition against ICE's actions, claiming they lacked statutory or constitutional authority to deport a U.S. citizen, prompting a federal judge to schedule a hearing to investigate the matter.

The federal government argues that the mother consented to her daughter's deportation via a handwritten note, but the judge highlighted the need for further examination of this claim.

The child's father, who was notified of the detention, attempted to transfer custody to the child's aunt in Baton Rouge but faced resistance from ICE, which maintained that the mother's custody was sufficient and warned the father against further intervention.

The father's efforts to communicate with the mother were obstructed, as ICE officers reportedly ended a phone call where he was providing attorney contact information, further complicating the family's legal and logistical situation.

The judge and legal representatives express concern over the potential violation of the child's constitutional rights, emphasizing the illegal nature of deporting a U.S. citizen without due process.