Acacia Center for Justice Statement on the Preliminary Injunction in L.G.M.L v Noem
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 18, 2025
CONTACT: press@acaciajustice.org
WASHINGTON – “We welcome the federal court’s decision in L.G.M.L. v, Noem to grant a provisional class certification and preliminary injunction to uphold the legal rights of children of Guatemalan origin, many of indigenous identity, to have their rights to due process upheld,” said Shaina Aber, Executive Director of the Acacia Center for Justice. “The child protection framework has been enshrined into law for almost two decades to ensure children’s safety and well-being are not jeopardized in a complex immigration system that is difficult for even adults to navigate. We welcome the court’s recognition that the mass extrajudicial removal attempt over Labor Day weekend, targeting children of Guatemalan origin, was outside of the bounds of law.”
“We would be remiss to not also name the harm exacted on dozens of unaccompanied children who were woken in the middle of the night on August 31st. The trauma suffered by these children, and dozens of other kids who were targeted or bore witness to this ill-conceived operation, has shattered the trust that network advocates have labored to build with children in government custody. Children should never be terrorized or used as pawns to score political points. They should have their individual needs assessed, their legal options explained by qualified, independent children’s counsel, and their legal claims evaluated by a neutral adjudicator. This was a tragedy in the making that was barely averted.”
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