Federal judge blocks deportation of unaccompanied Guatemalan children, attorney says children in El Paso, Harlingen

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) - An emergency hearing planned for Sunday afternoon in U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan was moved up after word of hundreds of unaccompanied children from Guatemala were being deported, according to ABC News.

A federal judge had temporarily blocked the removal of the minors, but the hearing was moved up by Judge Sooknanan after he was notified the children were in the removal process.

Judge Sookananan wrote in his court order, "The Court ORDERS that the Defendants cease any ongoing efforts to transfer, repatriate, remove, or otherwise facilitate the transport of any Plaintiff or member of the putative class from the United States".

The children covered in the court order are said to be in Harlingen and El Paso according to an attorney that represents the children.

The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) that filed the lawsuit stated the White House administration is denying the children from presenting their case in immigration court.

The lawsuit filed by NILC "seeks to stop the Trump administration from unlawfully expelling hundreds of unaccompanied Guatemalan children from the United States." The document further states, "NILC is seeking class certification and an emergency temporary restraining order to prevent the minors’ imminent unlawful removal after the administration reportedly reached an agreement with the Guatemalan government to return the children, who are currently in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)."