A Guatemalan man has been flown back to the United States after a federal judge ruled that his removal violated legal procedures, prompting the Trump administration to comply with a court order to facilitate his return.
The man, referred to in legal filings as O.C.G., fled Guatemala due to targeted threats against him as a member of the LGBTQ community. Despite an immigration judge’s decision earlier this year to halt his deportation due to credible fear of persecution, he was nonetheless removed from the country and sent to Mexico, where he had previously suffered violent abuse.
From there, he was transferred to Guatemala, forcing him into hiding. A federal judge later determined that the deportation was unlawful and lacked due process protections, ordering the Department of Homeland Security to bring him back to the United States.
O.C.G. was returned to California and taken into custody by immigration authorities while his asylum case proceeds. His case is one of several tied to a broader legal battle challenging deportations carried out without proper screening for potential harm.
Legal advocates say the judge’s order sends a strong message about the importance of due process and accountability in immigration enforcement.