The Trump administration is planning to send hundreds of Guatemalan children in government custody back to Guatemala. These children arrived in the United States alone, and officials say this effort is unprecedented.
This is part of a series of actions under President Donald Trump focused on unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S. The plan would remove kids from government care, where they are waiting to be released to a relative or guardian in the U.S., and send them to Guatemala to reunite with family.
The administration has identified more than 600 Guatemalan children in the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department’s custody as potential participants in a pilot program with the Guatemalan government, according to two sources.
The children, who vary in age, are believed not to have a parent in the U.S., though they may have other relatives. It is unclear how the administration plans to handle their immigration process, though voluntary departure has been discussed.
Officials have described the removals as “repatriations” rather than deportations, meaning the children are not being forced out. However, advocates and former officials worry that children may not fully understand what’s happening, especially since many do not have lawyers.
Shaina Aber, executive director of the Acacia Center for Justice, said that having an immigration judge involved ensures children understand their choice and are not put in danger.
Federal data shows there are just under 2,000 children in HHS custody. Most unaccompanied children arriving at the U.S. southern border come from Guatemala, Honduras, or El Salvador.
CNN contacted HHS and the Department of Homeland Security for comment. The Guatemalan embassy declined to comment.
On Friday, Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden sent a letter to the Trump administration asking for more information about the plans and requested the “immediate termination” of the repatriation efforts, citing whistleblower reports.
“This would be the latest step in the Trump administration’s efforts to remove vulnerable unaccompanied children from the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, violating child welfare rules and this country’s responsibilities to these children,” the letter said. Many of these children are fleeing abuse and violence, and arriving alone in the U.S. puts them in dangerous situations.
President Trump and his aides have expressed concern that migrant children released in the U.S. are at risk and unaccounted for, criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of the situation. Experts and former officials disagree.
The Trump administration has taken several actions:
- Conducting welfare checks of migrant children in the U.S.
- Making it harder for children in custody to be released to relatives
- Expediting immigration proceedings
- Interviewing children in custody
- Asking some children if they want to leave the U.S. voluntarily
Officials say these changes stem from concerns that existing vetting procedures are not enough.
White House border czar Tom Homan said in July, “Our main focus right now is not just making the border more secure, which it is, but finding the thousands of children trafficked into this country and released to unvetted sponsors.”
This week, federal field specialists were instructed to stop releasing Guatemalan children to certain sponsors, like relatives, and to halt approvals for children in custody without parents in the U.S., according to guidance reviewed by CNN.
Neha Desai of the National Center for Youth Law said, “Blocking releases based only on a child’s nationality violates federal law, which requires children be released to a suitable sponsor without unnecessary delay.”
Immigrant advocates emphasize that child safety should come first, especially for vulnerable children, and worry these policies could cause more harm than good.
Unaccompanied children in the U.S. are considered vulnerable and usually placed with family members in the country. The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act provides protections, including screening for human trafficking or fear of persecution.
While children from Mexico and Canada have been asked to leave voluntarily at the border, the rules are less clear for other nationalities. Jennifer Podkul of Kids in Need of Defense said, “Having a parent or family member in the home country doesn’t always mean the child will be safe.”
Federal agents have also been directed to ask migrant teens in the U.S. if they want to leave, which is different from past procedures that required turning unaccompanied children over to HHS.
Experts and child advocates say some children in custody have become desperate. The average time in custody has risen from 67 days in December 2024 to 187 days in July 2025 due to stricter release guidelines.
