Deportation of VML
Deportation of 2-year-old American citizen From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
VML is a 2-year-old American citizen who was deported to Honduras with her mother in April, 2025.[1][2][3]
Overview
Summarize
Perspective
VML, referred to by her initials in court documents to protect her privacy, was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2023.[4] On April 22, 2025, her mother who is a Honduran citizen, was asked to bring her children with her when attending a check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[5][2] During the check in, VML, her 11-year old sister, and their mother who is pregnant, were detained and quickly deported.[1][6] VML's mother was ordered to be deported because — according to her lawyer — she had been kidnapped while waiting in Mexico to immigrate to the United States and wasn't released by her kidnappers until after her appointment had passed.[7]
VML's father alleges in court filings that between the time of her detention and deportation, he reached out to ICE and was told that he could attempt to pick up his daughter, but that he would be also be "taken into custody" if he did so.[8]
At a court hearing, U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty highlighted deportation of a United States citizen is "illegal and unconstitutional," that he has a "strong suspicion that the Government just deported a U.S. citizen with no meaningful process."[4][9][10][11] Judge Doughty ordered a hearing on the matter for May 16, 2025.[12]
Reactions
The executive director of ACLU of Louisiana said, of the deportation of VML and two other young children who are American citizens, "Once again, the government has used deceptive tactics to deny people their rights. These outrageous actions must be condemned. We as a nation are better than this. These families deserve better. They must be returned."[13]
Tom Homan, President Donald Trump's border czar, suggested to that VML is an anchor baby, stating "Having a U.S. citizen child after you enter this country illegally is not a get-out-of-jail free card."[14] Homan — when speaking about VML as well as the deportation of a 7-year-old girl and her 4-year-old brother — insisted that the children's mothers requested their children be removed from the country, and said it was preferable to keep the families together.[15][2]
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that "the children weren’t deported but 'went with their mothers,' adding that as citizens they could come back if there's someone in the United States who 'wants to assume them.'"[16][2]
See also
References
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