A 5-year-old girl, Génesis Ester Gutiérrez Castellanos, has been deported to Honduras despite being a US citizen. This case highlights the alarming trend of using administrative deportation orders against families with children who are US citizens by birth.
Karen Guadalupe Gutiérrez Castellanos, Génesis's mother, had applied for a U visa due to domestic violence and was waiting for processing when she received an administrative deportation order in 2019. ICE agents then arrested both Karen and Génesis at her home, taking them into custody without providing access to counsel or a hearing.
The two were held in a hotel for almost a week before being deported to Honduras, where they currently reside with Gutiérrez's mother. The situation raises concerns about the lack of due process, as ICE agents reportedly couldn't locate Karen and Génesis in their database and lawyers struggled to intervene on behalf of the family.
Analysts point to similar cases, such as that of a 5-year-old boy detained by ICE in Minneapolis, suggesting a chilling trend under President Trump's administration. The use of administrative deportation orders against families with children who are US citizens is being criticized for undermining immigrants' rights and putting families at risk.
Gutiérrez expressed her heartbreak over having to separate from Génesis, citing that the child had never been apart from her before. Despite this painful decision, she vows to continue fighting for her daughter's return to the US, emphasizing that their bond is unbreakable. The case underscores the dire need for comprehensive immigration reform and a more humane approach to addressing family separation.
As the situation unfolds, concerns about birthright citizenship are also on the rise, with President Trump signing an executive order to end this 150-year-old policy. However, judges across the US have issued injunctions blocking the executive order due to constitutional and federal law violations.
Karen Guadalupe Gutiérrez Castellanos, Génesis's mother, had applied for a U visa due to domestic violence and was waiting for processing when she received an administrative deportation order in 2019. ICE agents then arrested both Karen and Génesis at her home, taking them into custody without providing access to counsel or a hearing.
The two were held in a hotel for almost a week before being deported to Honduras, where they currently reside with Gutiérrez's mother. The situation raises concerns about the lack of due process, as ICE agents reportedly couldn't locate Karen and Génesis in their database and lawyers struggled to intervene on behalf of the family.
Analysts point to similar cases, such as that of a 5-year-old boy detained by ICE in Minneapolis, suggesting a chilling trend under President Trump's administration. The use of administrative deportation orders against families with children who are US citizens is being criticized for undermining immigrants' rights and putting families at risk.
Gutiérrez expressed her heartbreak over having to separate from Génesis, citing that the child had never been apart from her before. Despite this painful decision, she vows to continue fighting for her daughter's return to the US, emphasizing that their bond is unbreakable. The case underscores the dire need for comprehensive immigration reform and a more humane approach to addressing family separation.
As the situation unfolds, concerns about birthright citizenship are also on the rise, with President Trump signing an executive order to end this 150-year-old policy. However, judges across the US have issued injunctions blocking the executive order due to constitutional and federal law violations.
I mean, what's going on here?! A 5-yr old girl, born in the USA, gets deported to Honduras because her mom was waiting for some kinda visa? That's just wrong, you know? 
The system is supposed to be about family unity and protecting citizens' rights. This is like a nightmare come true for parents who are just trying to make a life for their kids.
This case just shows how broken our system can be and how we need to do better. We gotta stand up for these kids and their families, you know? 
how can they just take away a child's citizenship and send them to another country without even giving their parents a chance to fight it?! it's like, what about all those promises of a better life made by the US government?! i mean, yeah i know trump said he was gonna make america great again but at what cost?! this is just heartbreaking for families who have been living in the US for years and are just trying to survive. we need more humane policies and less of these cruel deportations! 
This is just heartbreaking, a 5yo girl deported back to Honduras, separated from her mom who's struggling too... I mean, can you imagine? The pain of leaving your only home & loved ones behind at such a young age. 
THIS IS JUST SO HEARTBREAKING!!! GÉNESIS ESTER GUTIÉRREZ CASTELLANOS IS A 5-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM HER MOM, KAREN, AND FAMILIES OF US CITIZENS ARE BEING TARGETED LIKE THIS?! 
. A 5-year-old girl, separated from her mom by ICE agents without access to a lawyer or hearing 
. It's like they're breaking up the family in front of everyone 
. I can't imagine how scared and lost Génesis must be feeling right now 
. The whole thing is just wrong 
. Birthright citizenship shouldn't even be a debate - it's a matter of basic human rights 
. It's not about politics; it's about people's lives 
. We need comprehensive reform now, and we need it fast 
!
this is so messed up how can they do this to a 5 year old girl? she's supposed to be safe in the us not being deported back to honduras because her mom got caught up in some immigration mess... it's heartbreaking 
It's like they're trying to tear families apart for no reason. And 5 years old! Génesis was literally born in the US and now she's stuck in Honduras with her mom. It breaks my heart thinking about that poor kid missing out on all the things a normal childhood should have... school, friends, birthday parties... 
My grandma used to make these amazing homemade treats for her kids' birthdays, I bet Génesis would've loved those 
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. It's like, what even is the point of having a US citizen by birth if you're just gonna send them back to another country? 
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. Génesis's story needs to be told so everyone knows what's really happening 
. I'm all for comprehensive reform and making birthright citizenship permanent - it's time we took care of our own, you know? 
