During an oversight hearing of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the U.S. House of Representatives, the administration of President Donald Trump denied deporting American citizen children, in response to intense questioning from a Democratic legislator.
The secretary of the DHS under the Trump administration, Kristi Noem, was questioned by Democratic representative from Texas, Verónica Escobar, who presented in Congress at least three cases of minors with U.S. citizenship who were reportedly deported along with their families, one of whom was ill with cancer and did not receive his medical treatment.
One of those children with cancer was deported without their medication, Escobar reported, emphasizing that, in addition to being U.S. citizens, the families did not have the opportunity to properly plan their departure from the country.
The representative asked whether the officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offered the parents the option to designate a guardian using the official form 71-07, as required by the protocols for children born in the United States.
In response to this accusation, Noem stated: "The specific cases you mention, with these children, were the parents' decision to take their children. It is the Trump administration's policy to keep families together."
Recently, the Trump administration has been questioned multiple times regarding the deportation cases of immigrants with American children.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, clarified a few days ago that the three children who are U.S. citizens mentioned in recent reports were not deported; instead, they voluntarily accompanied their mothers, who were indeed expelled from the country due to their irregular immigration status.
Rubio made these statements in an interview shared by the official account Rapid Response 47 on X, where he criticized what he described as a new "fake news" campaign driven by certain media sectors.
"Regarding the headline, it is misleading. Three American citizens, aged four, seven, and two years, were not deported. Their mothers, who were unlawfully in this country, were deported. The children left with their mothers," Rubio stated.
The Secretary of State emphasized that minors, as American citizens, have the right to remain in the country or return at any time, depending on their families' decisions: "Parents make that choice," he stressed.
Rubio denied the narrative that federal agents had separated or forcibly deported children.
"It's not as you present it, as if ICE agents had broken down a door, grabbed a two-year-old child, and thrown him onto a plane. That's not true," he said.
In this regard, a Cuban family is facing a similar situation. Since Heydi Sánchez Tejeda was deported to the island last April, she, her husband, and especially the couple's little girl have experienced a true ordeal.
The young mother sent an emotional video to the editorial team at CiberCuba, where she shared her profound pain of being separated from her young daughter.
"My name is Heydi Sánchez Tejeda, as most of you have seen, I am the girl who was deported to Cuba this Thursday," she said at the beginning of her testimony, expressing her gratitude for the support received and recounting through tears the drama she is experiencing.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Deportation of American Children under the Trump Administration
Did the Trump administration deport American citizen children?
The Trump administration denies having deported American citizen children. According to the administration, the reported cases of children leaving the country did so voluntarily accompanying their parents, who were deported for being in an irregular immigration situation.
Can U.S. citizen children remain in the U.S. if their parents are deported?
U.S. citizen children have the right to remain in the country. According to statements from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, parents have the option to leave their children in the United States under the care of other family members or take them along with them when being deported.
What happened to the American girl who was deported while fighting cancer?
A 10-year-old American girl was deported to Mexico with her family while she was recovering from brain cancer. This case has sparked outrage, as the girl was separated from her medical treatment in the United States. The family chose to stay together during the deportation, despite the challenges related to safety and health in Mexico.
What is the Trump administration's stance on the deportation of illegal immigrants?
The Trump administration considers all illegal immigrants as criminals for entering the country without authorization. According to press secretary Karoline Leavitt, this policy makes no distinctions between those who have committed serious offenses and those who only entered irregularly.
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