Judge Orders DHS to Return Deported Teen Asylum Seeker to U.S

A federal judge has held the Department of Homeland Security in contempt for deporting a teenage asylum seeker to El Salvador in violation of court orders, directing the Trump administration to return him to the U.S. to pursue his asylum claim. Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher found officials violated three court orders from November 2024, April 2025, and July 2026 when they removed E.L.A., a class member protected under a settlement for unaccompanied minors. The judge ordered his return, barred future removal until USCIS adjudicates his asylum application, and required advance notice of any removal attempts. The case stems from J.O.P. v. DHS, a class action challenging policies affecting unaccompanied children. E.L.A. was first deported in March 2026, returned in August, then removed again while detained in Louisiana. The government cited "communication errors," and the court's detailed reasoning remains sealed pending redactions.