Trump Administration Plans to Repatriate Hundreds of Guatemalan Children in Custody

The Trump administration is planning an unprecedented move to repatriate hundreds of Guatemalan children currently in U.S. government custody, according to multiple sources familiar with the effort.

More than 600 children from Guatemala have been identified within the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which typically cares for unaccompanied minors until they can be released to relatives or guardians in the U.S. Under the new pilot program, developed in coordination with the Guatemalan government, the children would be sent back to Guatemala, where officials expect them to reunite with family.

The children, who vary in age, are believed not to have parents in the U.S., though some may have extended relatives. It remains unclear what legal process the administration will employ, though voluntary departure has been discussed. Administration officials are referring to the removals as repatriations, implying the children are leaving voluntarily. Advocates, however, raise concerns about whether minors without attorneys can make such choices knowingly.

“Having children’s cases in immigration court when they’re choosing voluntary departure is a protective mechanism,” said Shaina Aber, executive director of the Acacia Center for Justice, noting that an immigration judge typically ensures a child understands the decision and is not being placed in harm’s way.

Democratic lawmakers are pushing back. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent a letter Friday demanding the administration terminate the plan, calling it a violation of child welfare protections and U.S. obligations to vulnerable children fleeing abuse and violence.

The administration argues the move is part of its broader immigration crackdown and necessary to address what it claims are flawed vetting systems for minors released into U.S. communities. “Our main focus right now is not to just make sure the border is the most secure it has ever been, but to find the thousands of children that were trafficked into this country, released to unvetted sponsors,” said White House border czar Tom Homan at a recent summit.

The plan comes amid growing concerns from advocates that children are languishing in custody for longer periods. Federal data shows the average stay has nearly tripled in recent months, from 67 days in late 2024 to 187 days in July 2025.

Legal experts argue the program may run afoul of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, which provides protections for unaccompanied minors, including screenings for trafficking and persecution risks. Critics say sending children back solely on the basis of nationality ignores those protections and risks exposing them to the same dangers they fled.

With lawsuits expected, the effort could spark another major battle over immigration policy and child welfare under Trump’s second term.

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