For Immediate Release
July 31, 2025
Contact
media@nipnlg.org
New Orleans, LA – Today, the National Immigration Project, Gibson Dunn, Most & Associates, and Ware Immigration filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, J.L.V. v. Acuna, on behalf of two families who were unlawfully denied due process and deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to Honduras in April 2025. The plaintiffs include two mothers and their four minor children, three of whom are U.S. citizens. One of the U.S. citizen children is a five-year-old boy undergoing treatment for stage four kidney cancer.
The lawsuit alleges ICE violated its own policy and multiple federal laws when officers secretly detained the families in hotel rooms, denied them the opportunity to speak to family and make decisions about or arrangements for their minor children, denied them access to counsel, and deported them within less than a day in one case and just over 2 days in the other. Despite urgent legal filings and pleas from attorneys and family members, ICE carried out the removals in violation of its own policies.
“It has been scary and overwhelming,” said Rosario. “After so many years in the United States, it has been devastating to be sent to Honduras. Life in Honduras is incredibly hard. I don’t have the resources to care for my children the way they need. Since returning, my daughter has gotten sick and struggled with anxiety, and I’ve been struggling with my own health issues too. I was diagnosed with high anxiety and prescribed medication for stress. It’s not the same as living in your own country. It’s been painful every step of the way.”
“For me, this whole situation has been incredibly stressful,” said Julia. “I thought I was just going to an appointment, but I was lied to. I never imagined they would send me and my children to Honduras. Returning to Honduras has meant leaving my husband behind, and that’s been very hard. My daughters have also suffered a lot. They were used to their routines in the United States, and they miss their father every day. We were deprived of the opportunity to be and make decisions as a family.”
"ICE’s actions in this case are not only unlawful, they are cruel and show a complete disregard for family values and the well-being of children," said Sirine Shebaya, Executive Director of the National Immigration Project. "No government agency should have the power to disappear families, ignore medical needs, and disregard its own policies and constitutional rights simply in order to achieve a goal of unfettered enforcement. Without accountability, violations like this will only happen more frequently. Through this lawsuit, we seek justice, accountability, and the immediate safe return of these families to the United States."
“Ripping apart families while denying critical medical care and access to legal counsel is not only immoral, but illegal,” said Dave Lanser of Most & Associates. “ICE will continue to commit rampant constitutional violations until they are stopped from doing so. I commend our clients' bravery in seeking accountability through this lawsuit.”
“These ICE officials betrayed their most basic duty: to safeguard the wellbeing of U.S. citizens,” said Erin Hebert of Ware | Immigration. “These children and their families deserve justice and accountability for the flagrant and unapologetic violations of their rights.”
“The actions of the New Orleans ICE field office in this case—deceiving these families, disappearing them to an unknown location, and refusing to allow communication with attorneys and loved ones—is emblematic of an abusive culture that systematically violates people’s rights," said the Steering Committee for the Southeast Dignity Not Detention Coalition, a group that provided community support for the families. "We are proud to support these courageous Louisianan families who are seeking justice for the human rights violations they endured.”
"It is heartbreaking to witness the suffering these families are enduring," said Cathleen Caron, Executive Director of Justice in Motion, an organization providing direct support to the families in Honduras. "This case reveals the devastating consequences of violating parental rights, resulting in cross-border family separation. Through our Defender Network in Honduras, we've seen firsthand the hardship these families are experiencing, and we remain committed to supporting efforts to reunite them and uphold the rule of law."
The lawsuit demands that ICE be held accountable for its unlawful deportation of U.S. citizens and its disregard for the rights and safety of children. The plaintiffs seek immediate return to the United States, recognition of their right to make custodial decisions for their children, and compensation for the harms the families have endured.
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The National Immigration Project is a membership organization of attorneys, advocates, and community members who believe that all people should be treated with dignity, live freely, and flourish. We litigate, advocate, educate, and build bridges across movements to ensure that those most impacted by the immigration and criminal systems are uplifted and supported. Learn more at nipnlg.org. Follow the National Immigration Project on Bluesky, Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram at @NIPNLG.
Justice in Motion protects migrant rights by ensuring justice across borders. Our unique network of on-the-ground human rights defenders in Mexico and Central America partner with US advocates to make sure that wherever migrants go, their rights will follow. Learn more at justiceinmotion.org.