Guatemalan Man Returns to U.S. After Judge Directs Trump Administration to Grant Him Entry

A Guatemalan man, known only as O.C.G., is back in the United States after a federal judge ordered his return due to concerns over due process. His attorney, Trina Realmuto, reported that O.C.G.

arrived in the U.S. just hours before she spoke with the media, and he was expected to be taken into federal custody. O.C.G.

was initially deported by the Trump administration to Mexico in February, where he faced severe hardships, including being held for ransom and enduring sexual violence while traveling north to the U.S. This occurred despite a federal judge granting him withholding of removal just two days prior, a legal protection that prevents deportations to countries where individuals face threats based on factors such as race, religion, or sexual orientation.

In May, U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy found that due process was likely violated in O.C.G.’s removal. He emphasized that the government failed to provide evidence supporting the lawful nature of the deportation.

Judge Murphy expressed a strong belief that O.C.G. had been wronged, stating that the likelihood of a due process violation was nearly certain.

O.C.G. is not alone in this situation; others have also faced wrongful deportations under the Trump administration, prompting judicial intervention for their return.

Notably, Kilmar Abrego Garcia and Daniel Lozano-Camargo were similarly deported despite federal judges ordering their return. O.C.G.

fled Guatemala in 2024 to escape persecution and torture. His first asylum claim was denied, leading to his deportation.

Following further trauma in Mexico, where he was targeted for his sexual orientation, he renewed his claim for asylum. A U.S. asylum officer later recognized his reasonable fear of returning to Guatemala, leading to the legal developments that culminated in his recent return to the United States.