Subsequent Trump and Court Action(s)

• April 24, 2025

  2025.04.24_Petition for Habeas Corpus, VML v. Harper ,1:25-cv-00550, (W.D. La, 2025)

  A petition for writ of habeas corpus was filed on behalf of V.M.L. in the Western District of Louisiana. Petitioner claims Respondents have no legal authority to detain V.M.L. because she is a natural-born U.S. citizen and a toddler. V.M.L. was detained after her mother attended a scheduled appointment with ICE's Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP). The petition alleges that Respondents have refused to release V.M.L. to her legally-designated custodian, and that ICE is detaining V.M.L. "in order to induce her father to turn himself in to the immigration authorities." V.M.L. v. Harper, 1:25-cv-00550, (W.D. La, 2025).

  **Litigation entries are limited to initial complaints and major substantive rulings. For pleadings and additional information, use name and docket number to search Civil Rights Clearinghouse and CourtListener or visit Just Security Litigation Tracker**

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• April 25, 2025

  2025.04.25 VML v. Harper Memo Order

  U.S. District Court Judge Terry Doughty issued a memorandum order stating that the government removed V.M.L. despite pending court action, allegedly because "the mother wishe[d] that the child be deported with her." The Court requested proof of this request, but was notified by Respondent's counsel that "a call with VML’s mother would not be possible, because she (and presumably VML) had just been released in Honduras." Judge Doughty scheduled a hearing for the matter for May 16, 2025, to dispel "strong suspicion that the Government just deported a U.S. citizen with no meaningful process." VML et al.,1:25-cv-00550, (W.D. La, 2025).

  **see litigation note above**

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• April 26, 2025

  2025.04.25 Reported: ICE Deports 3 U.S. Citizen Children Held Incommunicado Prior to the Deportation

  The National Immigration Project (NIP) reports that New Orleans ICE Field Office deported at least two families on April 25, 2025, including two mothers and their minor children, three of whom are U.S. citizen children aged 2, 4, and 7. NIP says that ICE held both families "incommunicado" - denying them access to reach family members of legal counsel over the phone. NIP argues that, "These actions stand in direct violation of ICE’s own written and informal directives, which mandate coordination for the care of minor children with willing caretakers regardless of immigration status–when deportations are being carried out."

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