Federal immigration agents under Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem threatened unaccompanied migrant children with a dog and a stun gun to pressure them into giving up their right to remain in the United States. This allegation comes from a motion filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
The filing claims that Customs and Border Protection officers forced children from foreign countries to sign “voluntary return” forms. These forms would send them back home without a chance to appear before an immigration judge. Attorneys representing the minors argue this violates federal law that protects unaccompanied children.
Included in the motion is a declaration from a 15-year-old boy from Guatemala. He stated agents “shouted, cursed, and threatened me with a dog and a stun gun” when he hesitated to sign the paperwork. The filing alleges the child could not call family members or speak to a lawyer before signing.
The legal motion was submitted by the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University Law Center, the National Immigration Law Center, and the National Center for Youth Law. These groups seek court intervention to stop what they call unlawful removals.
According to the complaint, at least 13 unaccompanied children signed voluntary return forms after agents warned them they faced prolonged detention or that their relatives might be arrested if they refused. The filing argues that officers provided misleading information about the consequences of signing the documents.
Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, unaccompanied children from countries other than Mexico or Canada must be transferred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement within 72 hours. They also have the right to immigration proceedings before removal. The plaintiffs contend that the alleged conduct bypassed those protections.
The motion further states that the government failed to ensure that the minors understood their rights before they signed the documents. Attorneys noted that some children were told signing was the only way to leave detention.
Officials from the Department of Homeland Security did not respond immediately to requests for comment on the allegations. Customs and Border Protection declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.
This case arises amid a series of legal challenges to federal immigration enforcement policies that affect minors. Federal courts have issued injunctions in recent years that govern how unaccompanied children are treated and processed. These include requirements that agencies provide access to lawyers and avoid expedited removals that contradict statutory protections.
The filing requests that the court block any further voluntary returns of unaccompanied minors without judicial review and that it enforce existing child-protection laws. A hearing date has not yet been set.
If granted, the requested changes would require federal authorities to adjust the procedures used when processing children apprehended at the border. The court is expected to establish a timeline for the government’s response in the upcoming weeks.
Noem has been under fire for the treatment of both immigrants and American citizens under her tenure. At least three Americans have been killed by federal agents and migrants without a criminal record have reported being tortured.
