Family Sues Trump Admin After ICE Arrest of 6-Year-Old With Leukemia at Immigration Court

The mother, identified in court filings as "Ms. Z," and her children had legally entered the U.S. in October 2024 under a now-defunct CBP One App system and were granted parole, as The Guardian explains. They had lived with a relative in Los Angeles, with the children attending public school and receiving medical care.

The six-year-old, who previously underwent two years of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, had been scheduled for continued monitoring, but missed a medical appointment following their detention.

"When ICE arrested them, the children were terrified," said Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic to Texas Public Radio. "One agent showed his firearm, which led the boy to urinate on himself in fear. He was left in wet clothes for hours." The family was later transferred to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that the child had been seen regularly by medical staff and had not required chemotherapy in over a year. "ICE always prioritizes the health, safety, and wellbeing of all detainees," she said.

The suit argues that the arrests are part of a broader strategy under the Trump administration to increase immigration enforcement through courthouse raids. Cesar Espinosa, director of Houston-based FIEL, told Al Jazeera in a recent report that courthouse arrests create a chilling effect:

"You're between a rock and a hard place. If you don't show up, they're going to come get you. If you do show up, they're going to come get you, which is not due process."

The family's lawyers are seeking their immediate release and warn they could be deported before their case is heard. DHS has not publicly commented on the lawsuit.