A legal battle over the deportation of a two-year-old U.S. citizen to Honduras has come to an unexpected end after her family withdrew a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration. The case had raised significant constitutional questions and ignited a broader debate over how U.S. immigration authorities handle deportations involving American-born children.
The child, identified in court documents as V.M.L., was deported in April 2025 alongside her Honduran mother after a routine check-in at an ICE facility in New Orleans. The mother had been living in the U.S. under a deportation order. According to multiple reports, both were removed from the country before a scheduled immigration hearing could be held. Despite the child’s American citizenship, immigration officials proceeded with the deportation, citing the mother’s apparent desire for her daughter to accompany her.
Federal Judge Terry Doughty, who was assigned to the case in Louisiana, expressed serious concern over the government’s handling of the matter. In a court filing, he noted a ‘strong suspicion that the Government just deported a U.S. citizen with no meaningful process.’ The court also highlighted the lack of documented consent from the mother regarding the child’s removal.
The child’s father, a U.S. resident, had attempted to assert his custodial rights and prevent the girl’s deportation. However, ICE reportedly acted quickly, leaving little time for legal intervention. The case underscored what immigration advocates describe as a systemic issue: the absence of consistent procedural safeguards for children who are U.S. citizens but have undocumented family members.
While the lawsuit was gaining traction and had the potential to establish a significant legal precedent, the family’s attorneys abruptly filed for dismissal earlier this week. According to court statements, the decision was made in light of the child’s current location, the family’s emotional exhaustion, and the uncertain prospects of achieving a timely remedy.
Immigration rights groups argue that the incident demonstrates the urgent need for clearer policies and stronger oversight in deportation cases involving mixed-status families. Legal experts say that although this particular lawsuit has ended, the constitutional questions it raised are likely to resurface in future litigation.
