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Women deported with US citizen kids denied chance to transfer custody, says lawyer
Two women who were deported to Honduras alongside their US citizen children were held in “complete isolation” on Monday, April 28, 2025.
They were also reportedly denied any opportunity to coordinate the care and custody of their children before being put on a flight.
This is according to one of the lawyers representing them.
The mothers were unable to contact attorneys or loved ones.
They were also not allowed the option to transfer the custody of their citizen children to another parent or caregiver.
This was disclosed by Gracie Willis, an attorney with the National Immigration Project who is representing one of the families and coordinating with the team representing the other family.
“Here we had moms held completely in isolation, being told what was happening to their children.
“They didn’t have an opportunity to talk this through, to weigh the pros and cons of taking or leaving their children in the US,” Willis said.
One of the mothers, who was deported with her seven-year-old and her four-year-old, both of whom are citizens, was unable to access medications and care for her youngest, who has a rare form of late-stage cancer.
Another woman, who is pregnant, was put on a plane to Honduras along with her 11-year-old and two-year-old daughters.
This was even as the children’s father and a caretaker designated by the family were desperately trying to contact them.
“She’s in the early stages of a pregnancy and has undergone unimaginable stress,” said Willis.
“So she’s trying to ensure her and that unborn child’s safety and health, while also processing and working through what they’ve all been through.”
Both families were detained at regular check-in appointments, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) in New Orleans, according to lawyers.
They were then taken hours away from the city and prohibited from communicating with family members.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of immigrant parents in similar situations are placed in a dilenma.
They reportedly have both a deportation order and US citizen children.
A dilenma of having to choose whether to leave their kids in the US under the care of another family member or guardian, or surrender them to Child Protective Services, stares them in the face.
“No parent would want to be in that situation,” Willis said.
“And we don’t bring any judgment against any decision that a parent makes.”
But the mothers, weren’t empowered to make any real choices for their families, Willis said.
The mothers were reportedly rushed onto deportation flights with their children last week, in high-profile cases, which have drawn widespread condemnation from civil rights groups and lawmakers,
“There were no real decisions being made here, especially when those parents were not able to communicate with other available caregivers,” she added.
After lawyers for VML, filed an emergency motion to prevent the US citizen toddler’s deportations, a federal district judge raised concerns.
He said that he had a “strong suspicion that the government just deported a US citizen with no meaningful process”.
VML is the two-year-old who is identified in court documents by only her initials.
A hearing in VML’s case has been scheduled for 18 May.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been claiming that the family’s cases were handled legally and with due process.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said: “The children aren’t deported. The mother chose to take the children with her.”
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, echoed Homan, saying:
“I imagine those three US citizen children have fathers here in the United States.
“They can stay with their father. That’s up to their family to decide where the children go.”
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to the Guardian’s request for comment.
But VML’s father had been desperately trying to reach his partner and retrieve his toddler in the days leading up to the deportation, Willis said.
On 22 April, VML’s mother had been told to bring her children to her check-in with Ice, according to Willis.
The father, who had brought them to the check-in appointment, began to worry that the appointment was taking longer than usual.
He was later told that his partner and daughters had been detained.
When he was eventually able to speak to them, he could hear his partner and daughter crying on the phone.
Also, his call was cut off before he was able to give them a number for the family’s attorneys.
The government told him that it had removal orders for VML’s mom and her 11-year-old sister, who was not born in the US.
It explained that their mom was choosing to also take VML to Honduras with them.
They pointed to a handwritten letter, which they say was written by the mother, that reads in Spanish:
“I will take my daughter … with me to Honduras.”
But the family’s lawyers dispute that the letter proves their consent, especially given that the parents weren’t allowed to coordinate VML’s release.
They had wanted the toddler to be handed over to a US citizen that the family had chosen to serve as VML’s legal custodian.
“The mom was never asked what she wanted. She was told, your child will be deported with you,” Willis said.
Prior to their deportation, both families had been dutifully complying with Ice orders to regularly check-in.
VML’s mother had arrived at the US southern border during the “remain in Mexico” program instituted during the first Trump administration.
The program reportedly forced non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait south of the border while their cases were processed.
The mother, and her now 11-year-old, had reported to an initial appointment with immigration officials.
However, they had been kidnapped in Mexico, and were unable to attend their second immigration hearing.
When the mom and daughter managed to return and seek safety in the United States, immigration officials released them into the country on the condition that they regularly check-in.
This, according to Willis was a routine which they had been doing for about four years.
The other woman deported with her children had entered the US as an unaccompanied minor child.
She had been issued deportation orders after she failed to report at a hearing that she was not aware was happening, as she never received a summons, Willis said.
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India’s parliament has passed a landmark bill outlawing online gambling, citing growing concerns over financial losses, addiction, and suicides linked to the industry.
The legislation, approved late Thursday, August 21, by both houses, criminalises the offering, promotion, and financing of online gambling platforms, with violators facing up to five years in prison.
It covers card games, poker, and fantasy sports including India’s hugely popular fantasy cricket apps.
Government figures revealed that gambling companies had extracted an estimated $2.3 billion annually from more than 450 million Indians. Officials said nearly one in three citizens had lost money on gambling apps.
The ban casts uncertainty over Indian cricket’s biggest sponsorship deal. Fantasy sports giant Dream11, named in July 2023 as the lead sponsor of the national team, has its logo splashed across Team India’s jerseys.
While no announcement has yet been made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), its secretary Devajit Saikia said the board would comply with the law.
“If it’s not permissible, we’ll not do anything,” Saikia said on Friday. “The BCCI will follow every policy framed by the central government.”
Dream11 has since suspended cash contests, telling users on its website: “Following the passing of the bill, cash games and contests have been discontinued. Stay tuned.”
‘Predatory Platforms’
The government defended the move as necessary to protect vulnerable citizens from what it called “predatory gaming platforms.”
“This legislation is designed to curb addiction, financial ruin and social distress caused by misleading promises of quick wealth,” a statement read.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi added that the new law would encourage safe digital gaming while shielding society from the harmful effects of gambling.
“It will encourage e-sports and online social games,” Modi said, “while saving our society from the dangers of online money games.”
The sweeping ban does not cover e-sports or educational games, which the government said it would continue to promote as part of India’s growing digital economy.
Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw explained that the bill draws a clear line between competitive online gaming and gambling.
“It separates constructive digital recreation from betting and fantasy money games that exploit users with false promises of profit,” he said.
Gaming industry groups had lobbied for regulation and taxation instead of an outright ban, warning the decision could push millions of players toward illegal offshore platforms.
But lawmakers insisted the social costs were too severe to ignore.
Beyond addiction and financial ruin, officials said gambling apps had been linked to fraud, money laundering, and even terrorism financing.
The bill, titled the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, now awaits presidential assent before taking effect.
Once signed into law, it is expected to transform India’s vast online gaming landscape, placing heavy restrictions on one of the world’s largest digital markets while reshaping its $1.5 billion fantasy sports industry.
The Nigeria Police Force has successfully repatriated a notorious Chinese fugitive, Mr. Dai Qisheng, in a groundbreaking operation coordinated by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja.
This achievement, announced on Sunday by the Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, was executed through close collaboration with INTERPOL NCB Beijing and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria.
The operation underscores Nigeria’s commitment to tackling transnational organized crime.
Dai Qisheng, a notorious gang leader wanted in Guizhou Province, China, for orchestrating violent organized crimes, fled his country in 2024 after the Public Security Bureau of Zhijin County issued a warrant for his arrest.
In an effort to evade justice, he sought refuge in Nigeria. However, operatives of INTERPOL NCB Abuja tracked and arrested him in the Federal Capital Territory on August 8, 2025.
He was subsequently repatriated to Beijing on August 15, 2025, under the framework of police-to-police cooperation facilitated by INTERPOL.
The Nigeria Police Force emphasized that this operation highlights their unwavering resolve to ensure that Nigeria does not become a safe haven for fugitives.
It also reflects the growing strength of international partnerships in addressing the complexities of global crime networks.
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun, commended the successful mission, reiterating his commitment to strengthening international alliances through intelligence-sharing and operational collaboration.
He stressed that this operation sends a powerful message to criminals worldwide: “The Federal Republic of Nigeria will not serve as a sanctuary for fugitives.”
However, this milestone showcases Nigeria’s dedication to upholding justice on a global scale and reinforces its position as a reliable partner in the fight against international crime.
A former deputy Governor of Abia State, Ude Oko-Chukwu, has formally joined the Labour Party.
Chukwu, who served under former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, announced his defection on Saturday at his hometown in Nkporo, Ohafia Local Government Area.
“All Nkporo people are here today. The implication is that Nkporo is now in the Labour Party,” Chukwu declared.
He commended Governor Alex Otti’s leadership style, saying: “I decided to join you because you treat governance as a personal mission. You have done well. Today, we can proudly say we are Abians. PDP in Abia State has closed shop as from today.”
Governor Otti, while receiving Chukwu into the Labour Party, hailed his decision and described him as a principled leader.
According to him, Chukwu is “a man who will give you your due respect.”
However, state Labour Party Chairman Sir Emmanuel Otti called the defection “a move that will awaken the people of the area to new opportunities.”
Ohafia LGA LP Chairman Godwin Kalu pledged unity and development, while PDP’s local chairman, Egesi Eze Azu, also announced his move to the Labour Party alongside Chukwu.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has warned the Minister of the federal capital territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike and other party leaders not to obstruct preparations for the party’s national convention slated for November 15, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The warning was issued in a communiqué made available to newsmen on Saturday, August 23, 2025.
The governors pledged full support for the decisions of the party’s 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) taken in July, affirming that the convention will go ahead as planned.
“The Forum reaffirms its full commitment to the resolutions of the 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of July 2025 regarding the November 15 National Convention.It urges members to resist all attempts to derail the convention by anti-party forces; but to see the PDP as the only democratic institution and viable alternative for restoring Nigeria along the path of good governance and national development,” the communiqué stated.
The meeting, chaired by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, reviewed national security concerns, threats to democratic institutions, and preparations for the Ibadan convention.
The opposition governors commended PDP members for standing firm against defections and political distractions, insisting that the party remains a credible alternative for Nigerians seeking better governance.
The forum also accused the ruling APC of divisive policies that, according to them, have worsened hardship across the country.
Though, this is coming after Wike during appearance Channels Television on August 19, renewed his criticism of the PDP National Working Committee, rejecting the zoning panel headed by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri and disputing the recognition of Ali Odefa as National Vice Chairman (South East).
He warned that tensions could escalate if the party refused to acknowledge the zonal congress that produced his ally, Chief Dan Orbih, as National Vice Chairman for the South-South.
“Well, it is over for now. A few things are remaining, and I have told them that they must do it. Our congress was held in Calabar, and there’s nothing anybody can tell us. If they want to have another round of crisis, so be it. In that congress, Chief Dan Orbih emerged as the National Vice Chairman. They never wanted the congress to be held, but congress was held.The so-called acting national chairman of the party wrote a letter to INEC after congress was held that the congress has been postponed. There is no two ways about it. The National Vice Chairman of PDP South-South is Chief Dan Orbih. If they don’t agree, that’s another round of crisis,” Wike said.
Meanwhile, Wike’s fallout with his former G5 ally, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, has further deepened divisions in the party.
The FCT minister, who serves in the APC-led federal cabinet, continues to deny accusations of anti-party activities.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 50-year-old widow in Lagos for allegedly attempting to traffic 1.3 kilograms of cocaine while pretending to be pregnant.
The suspect, identified as Mrs. Ifeoma Ezewuike, was picked up by NDLEA operatives at the Jibowu bus terminal in Yaba on Friday, August 22, 2025.
She was reportedly on her way to Abuja to deliver the consignment when she was intercepted.
According to the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, Ezewuike runs a fashion outfit known as Golden Star Creation along Ago Palace Way in Okota.
A subsequent raid on her home led to the recovery of 200 grams of a cutting agent commonly used in the preparation of cocaine.
“In her statement, Ezewuike claimed she inherited the criminal trade from her husband, who died two years ago, although she has been in the fashion business for over two decades,” Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday, August 24, 2025.
Other Major Seizures
The arrest was one of several drug operations carried out by the agency in the past week.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted 90 parcels of loud a potent strain of cannabis hidden inside three cartons of kitchen sinks.
The shipment, weighing 48.6kg, was traced to a courier company and had reportedly been imported from the United States.
In Adamawa, a raid on the home of a suspected drug kingpin, Idris Garba, forced the dealer to flee by scaling a fence. His associate, 55-year-old Boniface Nnaji, was not as lucky.
He was arrested in Yola South while attempting to escape.
NDLEA said Nnaji drove into the city with 354,480 pills of tramadol concealed in a Toyota Thundra jeep (FST-885-CZ) and a Toyota Yaris (DSA 776 AA), both of which were impounded.
The agency also arrested another suspect, Neche Okonkwo, at Idah waterside in Kogi State.
He was caught after crossing the River Niger from Onitsha, Anambra State, with 5,000 capsules of tramadol, 400 ampoules of pentazocine, and 200 ampoules of diazepam injections.
Across several states, NDLEA operatives continued their clampdown on cannabis cultivation.
In Taraba, officers working with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) destroyed 7,500kg of skunk grown on three hectares of farmland in Dadin Kowa village, Bali.
Another 901kg was recovered from a warehouse in Uzebba, Edo State, where a 54-year-old woman, Fodo Stella Sunday, was arrested.
In Edo, 14,233kg of cannabis was destroyed across four plantations in Owan West Local Government Area.
In Delta, operatives, backed by the military, cleared 25,500kg of cannabis grown on 10.2 hectares in Emu-Obiogu, Ndokwa West.
In Ondo, 25,025kg of cannabis was destroyed on three farms in Uso.
NDLEA described the series of arrests and seizures as evidence of its renewed pressure on drug syndicates operating across the country.
“These operations reflect our commitment to dismantling criminal networks and preventing dangerous substances from reaching our communities,” Babafemi said.
Ezewuike and other arrested suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court after investigations are concluded.
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