WASHINGTON – A federal judge on Thursday halted the Trump administration’s plan to immediately deport Guatemalan migrant children who arrived in the U.S. alone. This ruling adds to the ongoing legal battle over a core element of Trump’s stringent immigration policy.

U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued the decision following the administration’s attempt over Labor Day weekend to deport Guatemalan children residing in government-provided shelters and foster care.

A prior temporary order had prevented the deportation of these children, which was set to lapse on Tuesday. However, Kelly, a Trump appointee, issued a preliminary injunction that prolongs this protection indefinitely, though the government retains the right to appeal.

Similar temporary restraining orders exist in Arizona and Illinois; however, these address a narrower range of children and circumstances.

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