Judge Finds DHS in Contempt, Orders Deported Teen Be Returned
Federal judge finds DHS in contempt, orders deported teen returned to the U.S. to pursue his asylum claim.
A federal judge has ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to return a deported teenage asylum seeker to the United States, finding the agency in contempt for violating court orders. The teenager, identified in court filings as E.L.A., was initially deported in 2026 but later returned to the U.S. in August 2026 to pursue his asylum claim.
Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher directed DHS to comply with court orders from 2024 and 2026, which required them to not remove E.L.A. before his asylum application was reviewed. The judge also mandated DHS to provide E.L.A., his immigration attorney, and class counsel with advance notice of his planned arrival, return any seized property, and inform them at least five business days before any future removal attempts.
The ruling comes after a class-action lawsuit challenging government policies affecting certain asylum seekers who entered the U.S. as unaccompanied minors.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
