Trump Administration Re-Separates Children in Violation of Legal Settlement

An Associated Press investigation reveals that the second administration of Donald Trump has re-separated dozens of children from their parents, violating the Ms. L v. U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement legal settlement. This settlement was specifically designed to protect families previously torn apart during Trump's first term. Under a renewed push for mass deportations, federal agents have detained or deported parents, some of whom were legally protected under the agreement, forcing them to either leave children in the U.S. or move their entire families to their home countries.

In one instance, Mirsy Maricela Alva López and her son, Ederson Galicia Alva, were separated in 2018 and again in June 2025 before being deported to Guatemala. Although a federal judge later ruled the government acted illegally, allowing the family to return to Florida in late May 2026, Alva López was granted only two weeks of humanitarian parole upon arrival.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security defends these actions as lawful removals necessary to restore the rule of law. Conversely, the American Civil Liberties Union reports that the government has ignored legal protections and cut funding for essential support services, arguing that the administration is re-traumatizing families who have already suffered significant hardship.