Judge finds DHS in contempt after wrongful deportation - USA Today

A federal judge on Friday, Sept. 25, held the Trump administration in contempt for deporting a young Salvadoran asylum seeker, and ordered federal officials to return him to the United States.

The ruling, from U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher, found that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had violated three orders when it removed the teenager from the United States.

According to court documents obtained by USA TODAY, the teenager, identified only by the initials E.L.A., was protected from deportation as part of an ongoing class-action settlement for certain asylum seekers who entered the country as unaccompanied minors.

On Friday, Gallagher ordered the Trump administration to bring the 19-year-old back to the United States, return his property, and refrain from removing him from the U.S. until officials determine his asylum status or the settlement expires.

Friday’s contempt ruling is the latest in a string of decisions Gallagher has issued in recent months. Gallagher has previously held federal immigration officials in contempt for wrongfully deporting individuals.

In August, Gallagher issued a similar contempt ruling after 50 unaccompanied minors were wrongfully deported, according to law outlet Law360.

In the August order, Gallagher said that efforts to bring some of the minors back to the United States were not enough to right the initial wrong.

"This court agrees with class counsel that 'a post-violation demonstration of good faith does not undo the violation,'" she said.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.