United States

Deported Mother and Daughter on Plane Judge Ordered to Turn Back Didn't Know Fate Until Landing

The woman and her daughter are plaintiffs in a case challenging the Trump administration’s changes to asylum regulations

A woman immigration officials put on a plane to El Salvador last week despite government promises not to deport her said she was "very sad and scared" on the flight, according to a statement in court documents filed Monday, NBC News reported.

"While we were in the air, no one told me anything about what was happening," the woman said.

She and her daughter stayed on the plane and returned to the United States because an outraged federal judge demanded Thursday that immigration officials turn her plane around. He threatened to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other administration officials in contempt of court if they didn't get her back to the United States. 

The woman and her daughter are plaintiffs in a case challenging the Trump administration’s changes to asylum regulations that Sullivan was holding a hearing on when the woman and her daughter — identified in the lawsuit as Carmen and J.A.C.F — were deported.

Immigration officials blamed the incident on a data error and confusion over why her deportation had been delayed.

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